The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Ms Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, yesterday caused the demolition of walls and buildings in the Ramsar Site at Sakumono in Tema.
This followed a visit to the area to ascertain the state of the Ramsar Site for remedial measures to restore the ecology.
The Minister was accompanied on the tour by representatives of the Tema Development Council (TDC) Ghana Limited and the National Security, to access the state of the Ramsar Site.
When the Regional Minister got to the site, it was observed that new structures and walls had been erected by building contractors who have encroached on the site despite the prior notice given to them not to build on the land.
In the presence of the Regional Minister, newly erected walls were pulled down by security personnel who accompanied her to the site.
Some of the builders who had encroached on the ramsar site upon seeing the officials from REGSEC, tried to escape with their caterpillars but were intercepted.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister later in an interview advised the citizens to act responsibly and respect the laws that govern wetlands in the country.
The respect for such laws, the Greater Accra Regional Minister said would ensure the protection and sustainability of wetland, which serve as inhabitants for various species and mitigate the impact of climate change.
While advising Ghanaians to be abreast with the laws that governed wetlands, Ms Ocloo indicated that a taskforce that would include all relevant stakeholders would be set up to ensure the sustainability of ramsar sites in the country.
“To be precise, encroachment on this core zone of the Tema and Sakumono ramsar site is illegal and unacceptable. The core zone, located in the centre of the wetland, is where biodiversity is highest, and where human activities must be kept to a minimum and to maintain the areas of ecological integrity. Therefore, allowing construction or any form of development within this zone would have dire consequences,” Ms Ocloo said.
“We are going to have a task force in to make sure that this exercise is not going to be just a one day thing, but to ensure its sustainability,” she added.
Ms Ocloo assured the citizenry of the commitment of REGSEC to intensify its effort to safeguarding wetlands located across the country and also ensure the strict enforcement and compliance to environmental laws.
For his part, the Director of TDC, Mr Courage Nunekpeku, said his outfit, in collaboration with other stakeholders, would continue to educate the encroachers of the ramsar sites about the negative impact of their actions.
He also warned that failure to stop the invaders of the site from further encroachment could lead to flooding of the Tema Motorway should there be heavy rainfall.
“The ramsar site was about 36.6 kilometres, but now the encroachers have invaded everything. From Tema Community 12 down to Beach Road, we see how they have narrowed the drain. The water all along Akuapim, down to Madina and Adenta, passes through the Motorway under, then through the ramsar site into the ocean. If care is not taken, one heavy rain and nobody will be able to cross the Motorway because there is no way for the water to flow,” Mr Nunekpeku said.
BY CYNTHIA ASAMPANA
