Adipa residents in Ghana give authorities seven days to halt waste transport — MyJoyOnline

Residents and community leaders of Adipa in Ghana have given the authorities a seven-day ultimatum to stop transporting waste from Agbogbloshie and other areas of Accra to the local landfill. If there is no response, the community threatens to block the roads leading to the dumpsite, MyJoyOnline reports.

Residents say that the large volumes of waste brought to the Adipa landfill are worsening their living conditions. Emmanuel Asamoah, the assembly member for the Achiase/Adipa electoral area, said the growing amount of rubbish is creating unbearable hardship for the community and contributing to air and water pollution.

Community demands

On behalf of the residents, Asamoah on September 28 demanded an immediate halt to waste dumping at the landfill. Other demands include an independent assessment of the dumpsite's environmental and health impact, as well as the cleanup and decontamination of affected areas at the expense of the responsible authorities.

The community also insists on the installation of permanent barriers and security measures to prevent further waste disposal at the site. In addition, residents demand that a public meeting be held within seven days, at which municipal authorities must present a transparent long-term waste management strategy that takes Adipa's residential areas into account.

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Waste removal from Accra

The dispute arose amid a 90-day government operation to remove about one million tonnes of accumulated waste from the Agbogbloshie and Jamestown areas of Accra.

Frank Annoh-Dompreh, the Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri and the chief whip of the parliamentary minority, questioned the decision to transport rubbish from Greater Accra to the landfill in Adipa. According to him, key representatives of the constituency were not properly involved in discussions before the operation began. He also called on the government to explain its choice of Adipa, noting that there are other landfills in Greater Accra and its surroundings.

Annoh-Dompreh stressed that he is not opposed to waste cleanup, but believes the authorities must protect community residents' right to live in a clean environment.