The Post Flood Mitigation Task Force has begun demolishing illegal structures built on reclaimed portions of the Kpeshie Lagoon at Laboma Beach in the Greater Accra Region.
The Sunday operation marks a new enforcement phase of government’s efforts to restore waterways and flood retention basins as part of its post-flood mitigation programme.
The exercise followed a directive by the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) on August 6, 2026, after an inspection of the Laboma Beach enclave.
Occupants within the affected area, which was formerly part of a protected lagoon buffer zone, were given 21 days to vacate before the demolition exercise.
The operation, led by the 48 Engineer Regiment, targeted identified structures built on land that was previously part of the lagoon’s natural water retention basin.
The Task Force stressed that the exercise does not cover the entire Laboma area but is limited to structures identified as being within the affected floodplain.
A newly constructed wall along the Labadi-Teshie road was also demolished after the team found that vegetation had been cleared and the area was being filled with solid materials.
The Kpeshie Lagoon is considered a critical intervention point under the post-flood mitigation programme because years of illegal reclamation, sand filling and uncontrolled development have reduced its natural capacity to retain floodwaters.
Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ohenewaa Akweley Ocloo said the operation was conducted peacefully, following engagements with affected occupants and the expiration of the 21-day ultimatum.
She said assessments conducted by the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council had established a link between the conversion of parts of the lagoon’s floodplain and flooding recorded in the Tse Addo area during recent heavy rains.
The Regional Minister said parts of the lagoon had been reclaimed through the use of heavy boulders, which were dumped into the water body and subsequently covered with sand and other materials to create artificial land for development.
“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 said.
She said the government’s risk assessment showed the extent to which the alteration of the natural floodplain had contributed to flooding in surrounding communities.
“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 said.
The demolition forms part of a wider multi-location flood mitigation exercise across the Greater Accra Region.
On July 24, the Task Force demolished illegal retaining walls and unauthorised structures along the Tesa Dam and the Legon Boundary Road watercourse after affected residents were given three weeks’ notice.
The exercise was followed by dredging works to restore the dam’s water storage capacity.
The Task Force subsequently moved to the Lafa Water Retention Basin at Mallam, where the 48 Engineer Regiment used heavy equipment to remove large volumes of compacted solid waste that had significantly reduced the basin’s capacity.
Illegal structures within the water reserve were also demolished, while protective embankments were constructed and debris transported to a designated landfill at Nsawam.
At Kpeshie Lagoon, the 48 Engineer Regiment is also undertaking extensive dredging using excavators and tipper trucks acquired to support the post-flood mitigation programme.
The broader operation combines dredging, demolition and restoration of retention basins to improve stormwater flow and reduce flood risks across Greater Accra.
The Task Force is led by Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Stan Xoese Dogbe, with operational coordination by Brigadier General Okae-Yeboah, Director General, Joint Operations of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Authorities say similar enforcement and restoration exercises will continue at identified flood-prone locations as government intensifies efforts to protect lives and property from flooding.
