Demolishes
The Post Flood Mitigation Task Force has commenced the demolition of illegal structures built on reclaimed and silted portions of the Kpeshie Lagoon at Laboma in Accra.
The exercise forms part of government’s broader efforts to restore critical waterways and water retention basins while reducing the risk of flooding across the Greater Accra Region.
The operation follows a directive from the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) issued on August 6, 2026, which gave occupants within the identified protected lagoon buffer zone 21 days to vacate the area.
The demolition exercise was led by personnel of the 48 Engineer Regiment, who targeted structures erected on portions of the lagoon that previously served as a natural water retention basin.
According to authorities, the area had over the years been subjected to illegal reclamation, with vegetation cleared and sections of the lagoon filled with sand, heavy boulders and other construction materials to create artificial land for development.
Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ohenewaa Akweley Ocloo, said the exercise proceeded peacefully, stressing that the operation was targeted at illegal structures within the identified protected zone.
She clarified that the exercise does not amount to the demolition of the entire Laboma area, but is focused specifically on structures located within areas identified as part of the lagoon’s protected buffer and floodplain.
The Regional Minister explained that the continued encroachment and reclamation of the lagoon had significantly reduced its capacity to hold excess water during periods of heavy rainfall.
The Kpeshie Lagoon has been identified as a critical point in government’s flood mitigation efforts following a risk assessment which linked the conversion of sections of its floodplain into developed areas to flooding recorded in parts of Tse Addo.
The authorities say restoring the lagoon and its surrounding wetlands will help improve the area’s ability to retain stormwater and reduce the pressure on drainage systems during heavy rains.
Sunday’s demolition is part of a wider post-flood mitigation programme being implemented at several locations across the Greater Accra Region.
The programme includes the dredging of waterways, removal of illegal structures and restoration of water retention basins in flood-prone communities.
Other areas targeted under the programme include the Tesa Dam and the Lafa Water Retention Basin, where similar interventions are being undertaken to improve water flow and strengthen flood control measures.
With the clearing of illegal structures at Laboma now underway, authorities say the next phase will focus on restoring the Kpeshie wetland, improving stormwater flow and preventing further encroachment on the protected area.
The exercise is expected to continue as government works to reclaim natural waterways and strengthen flood resilience in communities identified as vulnerable to flooding across Greater Accra.
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