Aburi Hills: A city must not cut its nose to spite its own face

In recent years, the Aburi Hills, once a defining ecological asset within Ghana’s Southeast Greenbelt, have quietly but steadily been transformed into a site of uncontrolled physical development. What should have remained a protected natural buffer is increasingly being sacrificed to short-term gains, administrative lapses, and fragmented governance. The consequence is stark: the city of Accra risks quite literally cutting its nose to spite its own face.

At the heart of the matter lies the alarming rate at which development has spread across the slopes stretching from Ayi Mensah to Peduase. Evidence from our research indicates that these developments are often occurring outside approved planning frameworks, with as much as 50 per cent of the area lacking guiding local plans, yet construction continues unabated. 

More worrying still is the biophysical reality of the terrain itself. A detailed slope analysis reveals that approximately 92 per cent of the area comprises landforms ranging from strongly sloping to very steep, rendering them inherently unsuitable for development. These slopes are not merely inconvenient; they are dangerous. When disturbed, they trigger cascading environmental consequences, including landslides, accelerated runoff, flooding, and sedimentation in the plains below. 

This is not conjecture. The Ministry of Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, in a directive dated April 6, 2023, warned of the “possible catastrophe” that could result from unchecked hillside development, including earthquakes, mudslides, and flooding. Equally troubling is the loss of vegetation cover, which traditionally performs a crucial ecological function, stabilising slopes and regulating water flow into the Accra Plains. 

Despite these clear warnings, the response from responsible authorities has been uneven and, at times, ineffective. The involvement of three municipal assemblies, Akwapim South, Ga East, and La Nkwantanang-Madina, has created administrative overlaps and boundary disputes that weaken enforcement. In some instances, conflicting local plans have been approved for the same areas, undermining coordinated land use planning and allowing developers to exploit regulatory gaps. 

Even more troubling is the evidence that some permitted developments themselves violate basic planning principles. Analysis shows that approved permits have been issued on dangerous slopes, five in Akwapim South and 19 in La Nkwantanang-Madina, contrary to expectations that such terrain should be strictly protected. This raises serious questions not only about institutional capacity but also about accountability within the permitting process. 

Yet, the problem extends beyond formal permits. Aerial and orthophotographic analysis reveal widespread development activity not captured in official records. Untarred access roads are being carved into previously green areas, signalling preparation for further expansion. These developments, both authorised and unauthorised, point to a deeper systemic failure: a disconnect between planning, enforcement, and political will. 

This is where the broader lesson for Accra and Ghana becomes apparent. Urban expansion is inevitable, but unregulated expansion into ecologically fragile zones is self-destructive. By allowing the Aburi Hills to be degraded, the city is dismantling a natural infrastructure that protects it from floods, regulates its microclimate, and preserves biodiversity. In doing so, it risks amplifying the very disasters it seeks to avoid.

The metaphor bears repeating: a city must not cut its nose to spite its own face.

What then must be done?

First, there must be an unequivocal show of political will. The directives already issued, such as the instruction to halt all developments and demand documentation from property owners, must not remain on paper. They must be enforced rigorously and transparently. 

Second, institutional coordination is non-negotiable. The overlapping jurisdictions between assemblies must be resolved through clear delineation of authority and harmonisation of local plans. Without this, enforcement will continue to falter, and developers will continue to exploit ambiguity.

Third, sanctions must be applied decisively. The reports identify the need to hold both developers and public officials accountable under the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act (Act 925). This is critical, not only as punishment but as deterrence. 

Fourth, remediation must begin immediately. The re-vegetation of degraded slopes is essential to restore ecological stability and reduce erosion risks. Restoration is not optional; it is a necessary investment in resilience. 

Finally, there is a need for sustained public engagement. Residents, landowners, and prospective developers must understand that the Aburi Hills are not simply another frontier for real estate speculation. They are an ecological asset whose degradation threatens the wider metropolitan region.

The evidence is clear. The risks are known. The legal frameworks exist. What remains is the courage to act.

If Ghana is to build resilient cities, it must begin by protecting the natural systems that sustain them. The Aburi Hills present a test case, one that will determine whether planning institutions can rise above fragmentation and enforce the public good.

Failure to act decisively will not merely be an administrative oversight. It will be a collective miscalculation, one in which the city undermines its own safety and future.

And in that moment, the metaphor will no longer be symbolic. It will be real.

Call to action: Time for decisive leadership

The time for hesitation is over. The evidence already available leaves no doubt: a fragile ecological zone is being undermined in ways that threaten both lives and livelihoods. Authorities at the national, regional, and municipal levels must summon the political will to act decisively, without fear or favour. Enforcement of the directive to halt all developments must be immediate and uncompromising, supported by transparent permit verification and swift sanctions for violations. As it stands, up to 92 per cent of the area is unsuitable for development due to steep slopes, yet construction persists despite planning logic and environmental safety. Furthermore, with as much as 50 per cent of the area lacking approved local plans, continued development reflects not only regulatory gaps but a deeper failure of enforcement. 

If Ghana is to avoid a preventable disaster, authorities must move beyond rhetoric to action, coordinating across jurisdictions, restoring degraded landscapes through re-vegetation, and demonstrating that the law applies equally to all, including public officials complicit in irregular permitting. To do anything less is to knowingly expose the city to flooding, landslides, and irreversible ecological loss. This is not merely a planning issue; it is a governance test. The choice is stark: protect the hills, or imperil the city.

The Author is the Board Chairman of Forestry Plantation Development Fund

Professor Martin Oteng Ababio

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