Editorial: Government’s Decision For Ecological Restoration Of The Kpeshie Lagoon Is Commendable

According to a report by graphiconlime, the government has directed the ecological restoration of reclaimed sections of the Kpeshie Lagoon in Accra, following the demolition of illegal structures within its protected buffer zone.

Deputy Chief of Staff in charge of Operations, Stan Xoese Dogbe, instructed the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council to work with the Forestry Commission and Environmental Protection Authority to restore the degraded wetland.

Per the story, the restoration will include clearing demolition debris, planting coconut and other suitable vegetation, and introducing environmental safeguards to prevent renewed encroachment. The initiative follows a demolition exercise by the Post Flood Mitigation Task Force aimed at reclaiming portions of the lagoon’s natural flood retention area.

Authorities say years of vegetation clearance, sand filling, waste dumping and construction have reduced the lagoon’s capacity to hold excess water. A regional risk assessment has also linked reclamation of parts of the lagoon to flooding experienced in Tse Addo. The restoration is, therefore, intended to improve flood resilience while recovering the lagoon’s ecological functions.

The Chronicle finds this decision an important step in addressing one of Accra’s persistent environmental and flooding challenges. But the real test will not be the number of structures pulled down or trees planted. It will be whether the restored wetland remains protected five, 10 or 20 years from now.

Kpeshie Lagoon did not lose its flood-retention capacity overnight. Years of vegetation clearance, sand filling, dumping and developments gradually converted portions of a natural wetland into artificial land. Authorities have now acknowledged that these changes reduced the space available for water and contributed to the vulnerability of surrounding communities.

That should force a rethink of how Ghana manages wetlands. Demolition may be necessary where structures have been unlawfully established in protected areas, but demolition alone is not restoration.

The government must ensure that debris and fill materials are completely removed, natural drainage channels are reopened, appropriate vegetation is re-established and the lagoon is continuously monitored.

The current plan to involve the Forestry Commission and Environmental Protection Authority is, therefore, important but it must be backed by clear responsibilities, funding and measurable restoration targets.

There is also a larger governance lesson here. It is not enough to act only after wetlands have been degraded and flooding has occurred. Preventing encroachment should be considerably cheaper and less disruptive than demolishing completed buildings, clearing tonnes of fill material and attempting to reconstruct damaged ecosystems.

This is particularly relevant because the Kpeshie Lagoon area encroachment is not an isolated case. Government’s current flood-mitigation programme has also targeted other retention basins and waterways in Greater Accra, including Lafa and Tesa.

Ghana’s experience with its coastal wetlands has already demonstrated the ecological and social importance of protecting these ecosystems; the country has six Ramsar sites covering more than 205,000 hectares.

The authorities must, therefore, resist the temptation to treat Kpeshie as a one-off demolition project. The restored buffer zone should be mapped, clearly marked and regularly inspected. Any fresh reclamation or construction should trigger immediate enforcement, not years of administrative delays.

Equally important, communities and legitimate businesses affected by restoration must be engaged transparently. Enforcement should be firm, but it should also be accompanied by clear information about boundaries, permits and the long-term purpose of the protected area.

Kpeshie Lagoon should ultimately become a demonstration of what Ghana can achieve when environmental protection is sustained beyond the headlines. The lagoon must not only be reclaimed; the ecological restoration of reclaimed sections** must remain reclaimed forever.**

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