Accra Stinking

The huge levels of filth that has engulfed Accra, the capital city, following the temporary close down of the Oblogo land fill site over the last couple of days has left an indelible mark on the conscious of city authorities and that of the status of the region as the capital of Ghana.

Over the last couple of days, residents of Accra have witnessed one of the unhealthiest scenes in the history of the region with huge levels of filth in every part of the city.

Considering the levels of filth generated each day within the metropolis, the situation has resulted in mountains of filth engulfing the whole city of Accra sprawling into open spaces and major access roads in even the Accra central business area.

The disgusting odor from the generated refuse all over Accra has resulted in the city center stinking to the high heavens.

This has been the result of government's inability to honour its part of an agreement signed between it and the chiefs and people of Oblogo, an Accra suburb.

Prior to the Oblogo land filth site being used as a refuse dumping grounds, the chiefs and elders of the area signed an agreement with government to the effect that government should be allowed to use a stretch of land for the intended purposes.

Taking into account the possibility of residents being exposed to health hazards and as part of its social responsibility, government on its side promised to construct a clinic, road, school and market centers for the community.

With these promises, the chiefs and elders of the community released the land for usage as a landfill site.

But, years after the said agreement, government has not fulfilled even part of the terms of the agreement.

So far, the only condition that government is said to have met is the shabby construction of the road leading to the landfill site and the clinic, which has not even commenced work.

Considering the threat being posed to the community and governments inability to honour its part of the agreement, the chiefs and elders recently resolved not to allow the place to be used as a refuse dump anymore since according to them their needs and the numerous promises made them by government had not being attended to.

On Saturday, 17th June 2006, they prevented several truckloads of refuse from discharging at the site.

This made several truck loads of refuse to not just return but discharge the refuse at the various places they carried them from.

For several days, Accra was left berserk with mountains of filth being generated across board, as they were no place to dump refuse.

The situation as it stands leaves much to be desired of government.

One therefore begins to wonder whether government is choked of ideas and as such cannot find any lasting solution to the perennial refuse problem in the capital city.

Indications are that government has gone back to the negotiation table with the chiefs and elders of the community, again promising to honour its part of the agreement.

For the time being, the chiefs and people of Oblogo have allowed refuse to be dumped at the site following latest development and pleadings from city authorities.

Meanwhile, the construction of leachate sump and the installation of gas vent for waste disposal part of outstanding projects that the chiefs and people of the area have expressed concern over.