Iconic trees along Graphic Road face destruction

Trees along a section of the Accra Graphic Road, close to Liberty Avenue, which have sheltered commuters and ornamented the area for many years, are being destroyed by heat and fumes of burning hazardous refuse.

Heaps of refuse created by unidentified persons along the area, behind the Ghana Heavy Equipment Limited (GHEL), made up of plastic and electronic waste, and other materials are being burnt regularly, harming commuters and the environment in the process.

The plumes of noxious smoke that are diffused into the atmosphere also expose residents, commuters, and motorists to respiratory-related diseases, and contribute to carbon dioxide emissions.

According to some traders along the road, the refuse is burnt by some unknown persons who usually dump the waste there at the night.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) prohibits the open burning of electronic waste and other waste products.

In 2015, the Authority estimated that 2,800 lives were lost because of air pollution and that the number could increase to 4,600 by 2030 if urgent action was not taken.

When contacted, the Korle Klottey Municipal Assembly (KoKMA), which has jurisdiction over the Graphic Road, said its bye-laws prohibited the burning of waste in the open.

The Assembly recently cleared traders operating on the shoulders of the road as part of efforts to sanitise the area and make the Municipality clean.

Mr. Samuel Nii Adjei Tawiah, the Municipal Chief Executive of KoKMA, gave an assurance that he would visit the area in question with his team to assess the situation and take urgent action against the burning of waste along the road.

“We have cleared the hawkers and we have given the area to some flower growers to occupy and beautify the place. But it appears that their movement to the area is delaying,” he said.

As part of measures to mitigate the impact of climate change, the Government is embarking on an “aggressive” afforestation programme to plant trees to restore the country’s degraded forest cover.

Nonetheless, the destruction of existing trees, especially in the capital remains a challenge due to the increasing rate of urbanisation, and poor land use and spatial planning.

The capital is also battling air pollution due to the widespread activities of scrap dealers, who burn electronic waste and tyres in the open – a menace that had been left unchecked for many years.

According to the 2019 World Bank Country Environmental Analysis, the economic cost associated with air pollution in Ghana is estimated at US$2.5bn, or an equivalent of 4.2 percent of Gross Domestic Product.