Mahama hails Linda Ocloo for bold demolition of Ramsar Sites

President John Dramani Mahama has commended the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Hon. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, for her bold and decisive action in demolishing illegal structures at Sakumono Ramsar Site, describing it as a critical step towards protecting the environment and enforcing the law.

The commendation follows the recent demolition exercises carried out by the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) at key sections of the Sakumono Ramsar site, aimed at protecting the environment and restoring the ecological integrity of the wetland.

To the President, the action of Hon. Linda Ocloo, though tough, was in the interest of the country’s long-term environmental sustainability.

“That is why we’ve decentralized the authority to you, and we’ve also decentralized the resources to go along with it. And so recently, when I saw a Regional Minister, and she did very well, Linda, going to a Ramsar site to go and demolish buildings and stop people from building, the question I ask myself is: isn’t there a district assembly in that area? It should have been the DCE, his planning officer, and all of them who should be there, because you live with the people in the district.”

He added, “And the filling of the Ramsar site was not a one-day event; you could see that it had been going on and on, and the worst case is that some of the people had building permits to do what they were doing. I mean, a DCE like that should be sacked immediately. But I know it didn’t start with the DCE there; it has started in the previous government, but I am drawing your attention to it so that tomorrow, when you get a sack letter from me, you will know why you received the letter.”

The President made this known at the relaunch of the National Sanitation Day under the theme “a clean environment, our responsibility” on Saturday, September 6, 2025 at the Institute of Local Government Studios, in Ogbojo-Accra.

In her welcome address at the same event, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, called on all Ghanaian citizens to take full responsibility of the environment and “strengthen the Clean Up Ghana Agenda”.

“Today marks more than a ceremony, it is a renewal of our collective resolve to build a cleaner, healthier Ghana. Under the leadership of His Excellency, the re-introduction of this initiative strengthens the Clean Up Ghana Agenda and calls on every citizen to take responsibility for our environment.

“The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, working with our 29 MMDAs, is fully committed to driving this campaign. Together with environmental health officers, waste management teams, and community leaders, we will mobilize our people, identify priority areas, and provide the logistics needed for effective clean-up exercises” she stated.

The relaunch of National Sanitation Day brought together national leaders, local authorities, and communities in a show of renewed commitment.

Under the renewed programme, National Sanitation Day will be observed on the first Saturday of every month, and is expected to mobilise individuals, households, community groups, businesses, and public institutions to clean their surroundings and maintain basic environmental standards.