The Post-Flood Mitigation Task Force has begun demolishing illegal structures erected on reclaimed and silted portions of the Kpeshie Lagoon at Laboma in the Greater Accra Region.
The exercise, which commenced on Sunday, September 13, forms part of the government’s ongoing flood prevention and mitigation programme aimed at restoring waterways, retention basins and other critical flood-control infrastructure across the region.
The demolition followed a directive issued by the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) on August 6, 2026, after an inspection of the Laboma Beach enclave.
Occupants of structures within the area identified as a former protected lagoon buffer zone were given 21 days to vacate to pave the way for restoration and flood mitigation works.
The Task Force, led by personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, pulled down structures that had been erected on portions of land that previously served as a water-retention basin covered by vegetation.
Officials explained, however, that the operation was not targeting the entire Laboma area but was limited to specific structures and locations identified as encroaching on the lagoon’s natural floodplain and buffer zone.
The team also demolished a newly constructed wall along the Labadi-Teshie road. The wall had been erected to enclose an area where vegetation had been cleared and filling with solid materials was ongoing.
The Kpeshie Lagoon has been identified as one of the critical intervention points under the post-flood mitigation programme following years of illegal reclamation, sand filling and uncontrolled development that have significantly reduced its capacity to retain and convey floodwaters.
A risk assessment by the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council reportedly identified the conversion of portions of the lagoon’s floodplain into commercial plots as one of the factors contributing to flooding in parts of Tse Addo during recent heavy rains.
Over the years, sections of the lagoon and its surrounding wetlands have been cleared and filled with sand, construction materials and solid waste to create artificial land for private development.
Residential and commercial structures, including businesses, have subsequently been established on areas that previously formed part of the natural water body and its floodplain.
Speaking to the media at the demolition site, Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ohenewaa Akweley Ocloo said the operation had proceeded peacefully and was part of broader efforts to restore the region’s waterways and reduce the risk of flooding.
She disclosed that some developers used large boulders as foundation material to reclaim sections of the Kpeshie Lagoon.
According to her, the rocks were dumped into the water body before being covered with sand and other filling materials, creating artificial land for construction.
“Everybody knows Laboma. All this place used to be mangrove; it’s a wetland and that’s the sea. They cut the trees, filled this place and sold the land to developers, including businesses, to build hotels and other things,” she said.
The minister said authorities conducted a risk assessment after flooding was recorded in the Tse Addo area and linked the development to the encroachment on the lagoon and its floodplain.
“We did a risk assessment and realised that, for the first time, there was flooding at Tse Addo. It was because of these illegal structures. We engaged them, issued a 21-day ultimatum and we have to secure this basin. So far, there has not been any resistance,” she added.
Sunday’s operation forms part of a coordinated flood mitigation campaign being implemented at several locations across the Greater Accra Region.
On July 24, the Task Force demolished illegal retaining walls and unauthorised structures along the banks of the Tesa Dam and the Legon Boundary Road watercourse after affected residents were given three weeks’ notice.
The demolition was subsequently followed by dredging works to restore the dam’s water storage capacity.
The operation later moved to the Lafa Water Retention Basin at Mallam, where personnel from the 48 Engineer Regiment deployed heavy-duty equipment to remove large volumes of compacted solid waste that had heavily silted the natural reservoir.
Illegal structures within the water reserve were also demolished, while protective embankments were constructed and debris transported to a designated landfill site at Nsawam.
The 48 Engineer Regiment has also been undertaking extensive dredging works at the Kpeshie Lagoon, using excavators and tipper trucks deployed to support the post-flood mitigation programme.
The broader operation combines dredging, demolition of illegal structures and restoration of retention basins to improve stormwater flow and restore the capacity of natural waterways to contain excess water.
The Task Force is led by Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Stan Xoese Dogbe, with operational coordination by Brigadier General Okae-Yeboah, Director General of Joint Operations of the Ghana Armed Forces.
Authorities say similar enforcement and restoration exercises will continue at other identified flood-prone locations as government intensifies efforts to restore waterways and protect lives and property from flooding.
By 1960news.com
