Residents of the Adipa/Asiaw Electoral Area in the Eastern Region have issued the government a seven-day ultimatum to suspend the transfer of waste from Agbogbloshie to the Adipa landfill site and engage them over the development.
The residents say the increasing volume of waste being transported to the area is creating serious environmental and health concerns, with exposed garbage, persistent foul odours and fears of groundwater contamination during periods of rainfall.
They also claim the worsening conditions are affecting the quality of life in the community, with some residents allegedly considering leaving the township because of the situation.
Addressing journalists, Assembly Member for the Adipa/Asiaw Electoral Area, Emmanuel Asamoah, said the community could take further action if the government fails to respond to their concerns within the seven-day period.
He warned that residents could block roads leading to the landfill site to prevent further movement of waste into the area.
Mr Asamoah said residents were concerned that their community was being used to manage waste generated in the national capital without adequate consultation or consideration for the potential impact on them.
“This is not merely an environmental issue. It is a matter of justice, dignity and basic fairness,” he said.
According to him, the continued dumping has left residents living close to large quantities of exposed waste, creating conditions that attract pests, produce unpleasant odours and affect the general environment.
The residents are therefore demanding an immediate suspension of waste transfers to the landfill to allow for consultations with relevant stakeholders and a review of the arrangements governing waste disposal at the site.
They maintain that any long-term solution must take into account the concerns of people living within the affected community.
The residents have cautioned that failure by the government and relevant authorities to address the matter within seven days could lead to further action, including blocking access roads to the landfill site.
