Residents raise health concerns over Adekopa-Sonitra landfill site

Residents of Adekopa-Sonitra, near Amasaman in the Greater Accra Region, are calling for urgent government intervention over what they describe as the poor management of a landfill site in their community, saying the situation is posing serious public health and environmental risks.

According to the residents, conditions have worsened in recent weeks after waste collection tricycles were redirected to the landfill following the closure of other dumping sites due to recent flooding.

They claim that broken-down equipment at the landfill has slowed waste disposal operations, resulting in long queues of refuse-laden tricycles blocking access roads and making it difficult for residents to enter or leave the community.

One resident, who spoke to Channel One News on condition of anonymity for fear of victimisation, said the community’s concern is not with the existence of the landfill but with the manner in which it is being managed.

“For the safety of Accra and Ghana, we are not complaining about them bringing the waste here. The only thing we are complaining about is the management.

“They have blocked all our roads. Residents have no way to exit their homes. We have to beg them to move the tricycles, and sometimes they insult us,” he said.

Residents further alleged that the prolonged queues of waste collection tricycles have caused refuse to spill onto the roads, creating what they describe as a growing public health hazard.

Another resident said maggots from the waste are spreading onto nearby roads, while mosquitoes and rats have become increasingly common in the area.

“The maggots from the waste are dropping onto the road. If you step outside, you’re likely to carry them into your home. They are not spraying the area. There are mosquitoes everywhere, and the whole place is infested with rats. There are homes here, and children are being raised here. What’s happening is inhumane,” he said.

The residents are appealing to the relevant authorities to improve the management of the landfill site, repair the faulty equipment, and provide an alternative route for waste vehicles to ease congestion and reduce the health and environmental risks confronting the community.