Assembly members and some opinion leaders in Aflao in the Volta Region have joined forces to push local authorities at Ketu South Municipality to remove an illegally created refuse dumping site within the township.
Dumping of refuse by the people on the walled private property was said to have started in 1976 and has since built up to become a big dumping site in the Dekeme residential area, like the height of a four-storey building.
The Assembly members and opinion leaders in the area say the dumping site now poses serious health hazard to residents hence the need for local authorities to move in to remove the refuse from the site.
Assemblyman for Aflagatigome Electoral Area, Amuzu Mohammed, claimed the site has now become grounds for some six local waste management companies in the area, a situation he described as worrying.
A visit to the area recently showed children openly defecating on the property. The stench from the site was unpleasant.
Some unknown persons had also set fire on the refuse at the site creating a smoky environment exposing the residents of the area to health risks.
Mr Agbeko Kumaza, son to the owner of the property said efforts by his late father to prevent people from dumping their refuse on the parcel of land proved futile, stating “my father could not finally stop them before his death, so when we the children in Accra relocated to this place (Aflao) we continue from where our father has left it”
The 67-year-old man said the family has met successive governments over the situation but nothing concrete has come of that.
A government appointee in the area, Sancho Acussah, said many efforts have been put in place to evacuate the site but appealed to the government to come their aid.
” just look at this, it’s almost about three or four-storey buildings up; very, very bad and just imagine the houses that are just closed to the dumping site. It poses a health hazard…..you can even imagine the stench, the flies and everything, very hazardous,” he said.
Commenting on the issue, Municipal Chief Executive for the area, Elliott Agbenorwu, said the Assembly has initiated processes to swiftly address the issue at hand.
He said the Assembly recently met with Zoomlion Ghana Limited to evacuate the waste to pave way for the use of the land for agricultural purposes.
“….the Assembly has tried to do a few things; to do the evacuation but we have some challenge, one the place is not accessible” he stated.
Meanwhile, Mr Kumaza said his family is willing to offer the land for any development especially market or lorry terminal,
By 3news.com|Ghana