Dr Ohene Sarfoh, the Project Director/Coordinator, GARID, has blown an alarm on Mallam wetlands which are being filled with solid waste, covered with laterite, and subsequently sold to individuals.
In the post shared by TV3 Ghana, Dr Ohene Sarfoh explained how solid waste is used to fill land in Mallam, covered with laterite, and sold, worsening flood risks in the area.
The video shared included satellite comparisons showing Lafa (Mallam) transforming from largely green wetlands in 2010 to heavily built-up by 2026.
The video also showed aerial views of extensive waste dumping along waterways.
Speaking in the video, Dr Ohene Sarfoh detailed, “If we take the satellite images from before, and we look at satellite images going all the way back to 2002 — when we get cloud-clear, you see the channel where it’s going. Okay? And when you look at subsequent years, you see the patterns of development, and you see the shifting patterns of the river.
What we observed in Mallam, particularly in Mallam they are filling it with solid waste, and then they cover it with laterite, and then they sell it. Then somebody goes I have bought land only to find out when he starts excavating that it’s solid waste”.
He added, “Whether they have permits or they don’t have permits, people are there. We don’t know whether they have permits; it’s now for us to interrogate.
If you are to have a permit, there must be a local plan, the basis of which you get your permit.
This is the state when the solid waste has been brought to the site. In the video that we’ll show you, we show you the smaller trucks that are bringing the solid waste to the site. So this image you see clearly is solid waste that is being used to fill… So they will come bringing it to fill, then some so-called landowners will bring in the laterite to cover it.
Once they cover it, somebody deems it as land for building, and then they go ahead to put in the development. This is Mallam. If you go to Mallam today, you see this. You go to Mallam today, you see this”.
Some netizen reacting to the video stated, “This episode was an eye-opening segment.
Clearly, all the suspected causes of these floods were confirmed”.
“Who issued the building permits? Don’t show us maps; arrest the district assembly employees who issued the permits”, a netizen added.
“30 years ago, that whole area to the Tetegu area was purely a wetland. I remember when we visited family at McCarthy Hills, across the street was nothing but wetland”, one X user added.
An X user added, “Until we go after those individuals and chiefs who do these things instead of those who unknowingly purchase and build on these lands, we won’t make any meaningful progress in this fight. Tackle it from the source (root)”.
“They keep telling us the problem as though there are no law enforcement agencies that must start working for what they’ve been established for”, a netizen asserted.
Meanwhile, the Director of Inspectorate at the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Richard Amo Yartey, confirmed that 34 people have died across the country following the devastating floods on Monday, June 29, 2026.
According to Richard Amo Yartey, 12 of the deaths were recorded in Accra, while the remaining 22 fatalities occurred in other flood-affected parts of the country.
The NADMO Director of Inspectorate stated, “The death toll in Accra is 12; across the country is 34, but it could go up. If we did the matching and realised that some of the people missing have been found dead, then the death toll will increase, and those listed as missing will reduce”.
He further disclosed that NADMO officials remain on the ground in affected communities, searching for missing persons while assisting victims.
“As I speak to you now, the warehouse is busy moving supplies to the distressed. Relief is across the country; we are going to send relief everywhere,” he stated.
NADMO further disclosed that the floods affected seven regions and displaced a total of 89,736 people.
Watch the video below:
Flood Crises: In Mallam, lands are being filled with solid waste, covered with laterite, and subsequently sold to individuals. – Dr Ohene Sarfoh, Project Director/Coordinator, GARID#TheKeyPoints #TV3GH pic.twitter.com/6VwglvKZP6
— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) July 4, 2026
