There were emotional scenes today, Tuesday, 27th May, 2025 at the Sakumo Ramsar Site when a developer, McDonald Owusu, went down on his knees to beg the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Akwetey Ocloo, to stop the demolition of his building project. The minister, however, remained firm and refused to spare the structure, which had been built illegally on the protected wetland. This is according to a report by Daily Graphic on Tuesday, 26th May, 2025.
The Sakumo Ramsar Site is one of Ghana’s most important natural areas. It includes a mix of a salty lagoon, freshwater marshes, floodplains, and grasslands, all working together to support both nature and people. A narrow strip of land connects the wetland to the sea.
This area is the third most important site for waterbirds along the Ghanaian coast. It is home to over 70 bird species, with about 30,000 birds depending on it for migration and breeding. Some of the birds found there include the spotted redshank, common greenshank, little stint, and black-winged stilt.
In addition to birds, the site is rich in fish. The blackchin tilapia makes up about 97% of the fish population in the lagoon and is a key source of income and food for nearby communities. Many local families rely on fishing from the site to earn a living.
The wetland also plays an important role in protecting the environment. It helps reduce flooding, purifies water, controls storms, and manages salt levels in water. But today, the site is under threat from human activities such as building, farming, pollution, and population growth.
The government has started a demolition exercise to remove illegal structures from the wetland. Even though McDonald Owusu begged on his knees, the minister made it clear that the law must be followed to protect the environment for future generations.
