AMA demolishes illegal pigsty at Agbogbloshie over waste evacuation exercise

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has demolished an unauthorised pigsty at Agbogbloshie after its operators failed to comply with a final warning to remove the structure, which was obstructing an ongoing emergency waste evacuation exercise.

The demolition forms part of the Assembly’s efforts to clear accumulated waste from the area and provide unhindered access for heavy-duty machinery and sanitation personnel working to restore environmental cleanliness.

According to the AMA, the operators were served a final warning notice on Thursday, October 8, 2026, following an inspection of the ongoing exercise led by the Mayor of Accra, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, and the Metropolitan Coordinating Director, Douglas N.K. Annoful.

Speaking after the operation, Mayor Allotey said the operators had been given an opportunity to remove the structure voluntarily but failed to comply, leaving the Assembly with no option but to enforce its regulations.

He further disclosed that the pigsty had been established and operated without the requisite permit or approval from the Assembly, in breach of its by-laws governing the keeping of animals within the metropolis.

The Mayor cited the AMA’s Control of Animals By-law, 2017, which prohibits the keeping of swine, cattle, sheep, goats and other specified animals within the Assembly’s jurisdiction without the appropriate permit.

He explained that the regulations are intended to control livestock-rearing activities, protect public health, prevent environmental nuisances and ensure that animals are kept under acceptable sanitary conditions.

Mayor Allotey stressed that the ongoing National Emergency Waste Evacuation Exercise required clear and unrestricted access for payloaders, excavators, tipper trucks and other heavy-duty equipment deployed to collect and transport the accumulated waste at Agbogbloshie.

He said structures and activities that obstruct the movement of machinery or impede sanitation operations could undermine efforts to improve environmental conditions in the area.

The Mayor consequently urged residents and business operators to obtain the necessary permits before engaging in livestock farming or other commercial activities within the metropolis. He also cautioned against erecting unauthorised structures or undertaking activities that block public access and interfere with sanitation and development projects.

The AMA reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing its by-laws and supporting the emergency waste evacuation exercise, with the broader objective of improving sanitation, protecting public health and promoting orderliness across the metropolis.