By Rachel Quartey
Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has called on government to address concerns raised by residents of the Yaw Adipa/Asiyaw Electoral Area over the transportation of waste from Accra to the community and its disposal there.
The call follows growing opposition to the use of the Adipa area as a destination for waste evacuated from parts of the national capital under the ongoing waste evacuation exercise.
Speaking at a media conference in the community, Mr. Annoh-Dompreh questioned the basis for selecting the area and demanded clarity from the government on the factors that informed the decision.
He said the affected communities, traditional authorities, the Municipal Assembly, Assembly Members and other relevant stakeholders should have been engaged before the exercise commenced.
According to him, the concerns being raised by residents go beyond politics and require a response from the authorities, particularly because of the potential environmental and public-health implications of large-scale waste disposal.
The MP had earlier called for the suspension of the exercise until meaningful consultations were held with affected communities.
He said residents had complained about foul odours, flies and other conditions associated with the increased volume of waste being brought into the area, while also expressing concerns about possible contamination of water sources.
“There was no engagement. The chiefs and the people in that area were not engaged. The local Assembly was not engaged. Assembly Members, the MP of the area, all the stakeholders were not engaged,” Mr. Annoh-Dompreh said in his earlier comments.
Residents raise environmental concerns
The Assembly Member for the Yaw-Adipa Electoral Area, Emmanuel Asamoah, also outlined concerns presented by residents at the media conference.
He said the community had previously received waste, but the recent transportation of large quantities of refuse from Accra had significantly increased the pressure on the area.
Mr. Asamoah alleged that residents were being exposed to uncovered waste, unpleasant odours, flies, rodents and other environmental challenges. He also raised concerns about runoff from the waste sites during rainfall, saying residents feared that this could affect drainage systems and potentially contaminate groundwater.
These concerns were presented by the Assembly Member and residents but have not, based on the available information, been independently established through a published environmental or public-health assessment.
Five demands
The community has presented five key demands to the authorities.
They are calling for the immediate suspension of waste-dumping activities at the site and an independent environmental and health impact assessment of the areas being used for waste disposal.
Residents are also demanding a comprehensive cleanup and decontamination exercise in affected areas, with the cost borne by the responsible parties and relevant authorities.
They further want permanent security barriers and surveillance systems installed around the dumping sites to prevent unauthorised dumping and improve security.
The fifth demand is for a public forum to be held within seven days, where the Municipal authorities will present a transparent and sustainable long-term waste-management plan that takes the concerns of affected residential communities into account.
Mr. Asamoah stressed that residents were not opposed to proper waste management. He said their concern was the manner in which the community was being used as a destination for large quantities of waste generated elsewhere, without what they considered adequate consultation and safeguards.
Seven-day ultimatum
The Assembly Member subsequently issued a seven-day ultimatum to the responsible authorities to respond to the demands.
He warned that failure to receive a satisfactory response could lead residents to consider further action, including preventing access to the dumping sites by blocking roads leading to the facilities.
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh, however, urged residents to ensure that any action they take remains within the law.
“We are not fighting the government,” he said, explaining that his responsibility as the area’s Member of Parliament was to represent the concerns of his constituents and demand accountability through lawful and constitutional means.
He said residents had a legitimate right to raise concerns about conditions affecting their health, environment and quality of life.
Questions over sustainable waste management
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh linked the controversy to Ghana’s commitment to sustainable waste management, citing Sustainable Development Goal 11 on sustainable cities and communities.
He questioned whether transporting large quantities of waste from Accra to the Eastern Region was consistent with these commitments and the governing party’s manifesto on sustainable waste disposal.
“What has changed? What has changed?” he asked, calling on the government to explain the policy behind the decision.
Waste evacuation exercise
The development comes as the government continues its waste evacuation exercise to address accumulated refuse in parts of Accra.
The programme has, however, raised concerns in some communities receiving the waste, including Adipa, where residents are demanding proper environmental, health and security safeguards.
Mr. Annoh-Dompreh called for greater engagement between government, local authorities and affected communities to find a sustainable solution.
“The President should turn a listening ear to the people’s cry,” he said.
