Minister Warns Against Investor Pressure On Ramsar Sites

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo, has reaffirmed her commitment to protecting environmentally significant sites within the region.

Addressing a press conference on Thursday, August 29, 2025, the minister revealed that some individuals have been bringing investors to her office to discuss private projects on these sites.

She warned such individuals to desist from their actions or risk embarrassment.

“Another matter of grave concern is the reckless encroachment and destruction of environmentally sensitive areas. I am sending notice here and now; the RCC, working with relevant agencies, will continue to embark on demolition exercises at Ramsar sites to stop the illegal developments that are choking our wetlands and worsening our flooding situation. Equally alarming is the filling of materials into the La-Lor Lagoon between the Kpone and Ningo-Prampram Districts. Let me be clear; this illegality must stop immediately. It is irresponsible, shortsighted, and a direct assault on environmental sustainability.
This 
“The consequences of such actions are devastating: increased flooding, loss of biodiversity, and long-term environmental damage that no government can afford to ignore. We will not countenance these activities any longer. Those responsible will be held accountable, and strict enforcement measures will be taken without fear or favour. So, to those of you who bring investors to my office, please desist from it if you don’t want any embarrassment, because I am not ready to compromise,” the minister said.

The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC), through its Regional Security Council (REGSEC), has been actively demolishing unauthorised structures on Ramsar sites in the region to protect these ecologically sensitive wetlands.

Ramsar sites, designated under the 1971 Ramsar Convention, are wetlands of international importance, critical for flood control, biodiversity conservation, and water purification.

In recent years, sites such as Sakumono, Tema, Dansoman, and Weija have faced significant encroachment from illegal constructions, exacerbating flooding and environmental degradation.