Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ohenewaa Akweley Ocloo has defended the demolition of illegal structures along the Kpeshie Lagoon at Laboma, saying the exercise forms part of government’s intensified efforts to restore waterways and prevent flooding in the Greater Accra Region.
According to her, portions of the Kpeshie Lagoon that were originally covered by mangroves and served as a natural water retention basin had been illegally reclaimed through the clearing of vegetation, dumping of rocks and filling with sand and other materials for private development.
The Minister disclosed that a risk assessment conducted by the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council linked the reclamation and development of parts of the lagoon’s floodplain to flooding recorded in the Tse Addo area during recent heavy rains.
“Everybody knows Laboma. All this place used to be mangrove, it’s a wetland and that’s the sea. They cut the trees, filled this place and sold the land to developers, including businesses to build hotels and other things,” she told the media at the demolition site.
She explained that developers used heavy boulders as foundation materials to reclaim sections of the lagoon before covering them with sand and other fill materials to create artificial land for construction.
“We did a risk assessment and we realised that for the first time there was flooding at Tse Addo, it was because of these illegal structures. We engaged them, issued a 21-day ultimatum and we have to secure this basin, and so far there has not been any resistance,” she added.
The Post Flood Mitigation Task Force on Sunday commenced the demolition of identified illegal structures constructed on silted and reclaimed portions of the Kpeshie Lagoon at Laboma.
The exercise followed a directive issued by the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) on August 6, 2026, after an inspection of the Laboma Beach enclave.
Occupants within areas identified as part of the former protected lagoon buffer zone were subsequently given a 21-day ultimatum to vacate.
The demolition was carried out by personnel of the 48 Engineer Regiment, which is supporting the government’s post-flood mitigation programme through the use of heavy-duty equipment for demolition, dredging and restoration works.
The Task Force clarified that Sunday’s exercise was targeted at specific structures identified as being within the affected buffer zone and did not constitute a blanket demolition of the entire Laboma area.
A newly constructed wall along the Labadi-Teshie Road was also demolished after authorities identified it as an attempt to block off an area where vegetation had been cleared and filling with solid materials was ongoing.
The Kpeshie Lagoon has been identified as one of the critical intervention points under the post-flood mitigation programme due to years of illegal reclamation, sand filling and uncontrolled development that have significantly reduced its natural capacity to retain floodwaters.
Over the years, portions of the lagoon and its floodplain have reportedly been cleared of vegetation and filled with sand, construction debris, rocks and solid waste, creating artificial land that was subsequently used for residential and commercial developments.
The development has reduced the natural water-retention capacity of the area and increased concerns over flooding in communities downstream.
Sunday’s operation forms part of a wider, multi-location enforcement and restoration exercise being undertaken across the Greater Accra Region.
On July 24, the Task Force demolished illegal retaining walls and unauthorised structures along the banks of the Tesa Dam and the Legon Boundary Road watercourse after affected residents were given three weeks’ notice.
The demolition was subsequently followed by dredging works aimed at restoring the dam’s water storage capacity.
The operation later moved to the Lafa Water Retention Basin at Mallam, where the 48 Engineer Regiment deployed heavy equipment to remove large volumes of compacted solid waste that had significantly reduced the capacity of the natural reservoir.
Illegal structures within the water reserve were also demolished, while protective embankments were constructed and debris transported to a designated landfill at Nsawam.
The 48 Engineer Regiment has also been carrying out extensive dredging works at the Kpeshie Lagoon using excavators and tipper trucks acquired to support the post-flood mitigation programme.
The Task Force is led by Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Stan Xoese Dogbe, with operational coordination by Brigadier General Okae-Yeboah, Director General of Joint Operations of the Ghana Armed Forces.
The broader intervention combines dredging, demolition, desilting and the restoration of water retention basins and waterways as part of efforts to improve stormwater flow and reduce flood risks across Greater Accra.
The authorities have indicated that similar enforcement and restoration exercises will continue at other identified flood-prone locations as government intensifies measures to protect lives and property and restore the natural drainage systems of the region.
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/ Presidential Affairs Correspondent | Ghana 🇬🇭
