Residents of Mangoline, a community near McCarthy Hills in the Weija-Gbawe Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, are raising alarm over what they describe as a growing public health crisis after a nearby wetland was turned into an illegal waste disposal site.
According to residents, more than 500 tricycles, locally known as “aboboyaa,” dump refuse at the site daily. They allege that individuals at the site charge about GH¢50 per tricycle load and direct the waste into the wetland, raising concerns about an organised illegal dumping operation.
Some residents further claim that the arrangement is being carried out with the knowledge of officials within the municipality, including the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Weija-Gbawe, Felix Odartey Lamptey. However, the MCE has strongly denied the allegations.
MCE denies authorising illegal dumping fees
In a phone interview with Citi Newsroom, Felix Odartey Lamptey rejected claims that he had authorised any individuals to collect money from waste operators at the site.
He stressed that his office has not sanctioned any such activity and has reported the situation to National Security for immediate intervention.
The MCE disclosed that National Security officials have already moved to the area to prevent further dumping and to stabilise the situation.
He further indicated that he, together with a municipal task force and National Security personnel, will soon move to the site to ensure it is secured and that illegal dumping is halted completely.
Residents report worsening health conditions
Residents say the continuous dumping has turned the wetland into a major environmental hazard, with a sharp increase in flies, unbearable stench, and stagnant water creating breeding grounds for disease-carrying insects.
“At dawn you cannot eat outside. The flies cover everything. Our children are falling sick with stomach problems and skin rashes,” said Ama Serwaa, a trader who has lived in Mangoline for 12 years.
Others say the wetland, once a green ecological buffer, has been completely degraded within months.
“It used to be green. Now it is a mountain of plastic, food waste, and diapers,” said resident Kofi Mensah. “When it rains, the water carries the rubbish into our drains.”
500 tricycle loads daily fuel site expansion
Residents estimate that over 500 tricycles dump waste at the site each day. At an estimated GH¢50 per trip, the site reportedly generates over GH¢25,000 daily through the alleged illegal collection system.
The scale of dumping, they say, has rapidly transformed the wetland, raising fears of a worsening environmental disaster.
Public health concerns mount
Public health experts warn that the destruction of wetlands through indiscriminate dumping increases the risk of cholera, typhoid, malaria, and other waterborne and vector-borne diseases. They note that wetlands naturally filter water, and their contamination can affect groundwater and surrounding communities.
The Ghana Health Service has not released specific data on disease trends in Mangoline, but Accra continues to record periodic outbreaks of sanitation-related diseases, particularly during the rainy season.
Calls for urgent intervention
Residents are calling on the Weija-Gbawe Municipal Assembly, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Ministry of Sanitation and Water Resources to urgently intervene.
They are demanding an immediate halt to dumping activities, reclamation of the wetland, and the establishment of proper waste disposal alternatives for tricycle operators.
“We are not against sanitation workers making a living. But we cannot trade our health for convenience,” Ama Serwaa added.
Security intervention underway
With tensions rising over the situation, the involvement of National Security is expected to intensify enforcement at the site in the coming days as authorities move to prevent further environmental degradation and restore order.
For now, residents of Mangoline say they are living with the consequences of a deteriorating environment while awaiting decisive action from authorities.
