Residents of the Adipa/Asiaw Electoral Area in the Nsawam-Adoagyiri Municipality of the Eastern Region have given government a seven-day ultimatum to halt the transfer of tonnes of waste from the Agbogbloshie enclave to the Adipa engineered landfill site and engage the community over concerns surrounding the facility.
The residents have threatened to block all roads leading to the dumpsite if government, the relevant authorities and the company operating the facility fail to respond to their concerns within the stipulated seven-day period.
They say the disposal of waste at the site has left the community grappling with heaps of garbage and offensive odours, while also raising fears of groundwater contamination, particularly during periods of rainfall.
The residents’ concerns follow the evacuation of waste from Agbogbloshie to the Adipa engineered landfill site. President John Dramani Mahama commissioned the exercise on September 18, 2026, as part of efforts to address the accumulation of waste at Agbogbloshie.
However, the residents say they were not adequately consulted before the waste was transferred to their community and that they are already experiencing the effects of the exercise.
Addressing journalists on Monday, September 28, Assembly Member for the Adipa/Asiaw Electoral Area, Emmanuel Asamoah, demanded an independent environmental and health impact assessment of the landfill site.
He said the assessment should be followed by a comprehensive cleanup and decontamination of affected areas, with the cost borne by the responsible authorities.
The residents are also demanding permanent security barriers and other measures to prevent illegal dumping and ensure that the facility is not used for unauthorised disposal of waste.
They have further called for a public forum to be held within seven days, where the municipal authorities and other relevant stakeholders will present a transparent and sustainable long-term waste management plan for the area.
The residents stressed that their position should not be interpreted as opposition to waste management.
“We are not against a fair, well-regulated waste management system, but we are against being treated as an afterthought, a convenient dumping ground for problems the capital does not want to face at all,” they said.
The residents warned that failure by government, the responsible authorities and the operating company to respond within the seven-day period would compel them to take further action.
“If within the seven days, which starts from today, exactly one week from today, if we don’t hear any response from the government, responsible authorities, the operating company, we are going to block all roads leading to the dumping site,” they warned.
Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has backed the concerns of his constituents and questioned the decision to transport waste from Agbogbloshie to the Adipa landfill without what he described as adequate stakeholder consultation.
The Minority Chief Whip said the development raises concerns about the community’s right to a clean and healthy environment.
He also questioned whether the arrangement is consistent with the Sustainable Development Goal on waste management and the responsible transportation and disposal of waste.
The residents and their representatives are therefore calling for urgent engagement between government, the municipal authorities, the landfill operator and affected communities to address the concerns before the seven-day ultimatum expires.
Story by Freedom Etsey Lavoe