President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned a major exercise to evacuate the massive waste heaps at Agbogloshie in Accra to the Adepa Engineered Landfill near Nsawam in the Eastern Region.

The exercise, which commenced on September 17, 2026, is expected to remove an estimated one million tonnes of accumulated waste from the Agbogloshie area within 90 days.

The operation is being led by the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs in collaboration with the Ghana Armed Forces and the District Road Improvement Project (DRIP), with funding support from the Ministry of Finance and the District Assemblies Common Fund.

Speaking before the commencement of the exercise, President Mahama described the cleanup as a major step towards restoring sanitation, reclaiming the area and improving living conditions for residents and businesses.

The government is deploying heavy-duty equipment acquired under the DRIP programme, including tipper trucks, excavators, bulldozers and wheel loaders, to facilitate the evacuation.

The Ghana Armed Forces, particularly the 48 Engineers Regiment, will also provide engineering and operational support throughout the exercise.

“We are now mobilising them to clear Agbogloshie; after that, I have a lot of work for them. They have more tasks. Soldiers are not only going to go to war. They are going to be used for emergency operations,” President Mahama said.

Agbogloshie to become industrial park

President Mahama said the cleanup forms part of a broader plan to redevelop the Agbogloshie area under the proposed Agbogloshie Urban Renewal Project.

He explained that after the waste has been cleared and the land reclaimed, the government plans to establish an industrial park on the site.

A major textile factory is also expected to form part of the development, with the President saying the project would create employment opportunities, particularly for young people.

“When we have cleared this garbage, the land that will be reclaimed and recovered is going to be an Industrial Park. We intend to establish a major textile factory here so that they can provide employment to our young people,” he said.

The President said the exercise would also help address the long-running problem of open dumping and burning at Agbogloshie, which has raised concerns over public health and environmental safety.

Waste to be transported to Adepa

The evacuated waste will be transported to the Adepa Engineered Landfill for controlled disposal, compaction and covering in accordance with appropriate environmental safeguards.

President Mahama stressed the need for every stage of the exercise—from excavation and loading to transportation and final disposal—to be carried out responsibly.

He said the government was particularly concerned about protecting residents, road users and communities along the haulage routes.

To reduce traffic disruption and improve safety, the President said the bulk of the waste would be transported at night as part of the government’s 24-Hour Economy Initiative.

“We must protect the waste, the residents, road users, and the communities along the haulage routes. And that is why we are suggesting that the major haulage must take place at night in accordance with our 24-Hour Economy Initiative,” he said.

“In the daytime, there will be some evacuation of garbage, but on a smaller scale, and then at night we go to full capacity.”

President Mahama appealed to residents of Old Fadama and Agbogloshie to cooperate with the military personnel, DRIP operators and assembly teams during the 90-day operation.

He said the ultimate objective was to restore the health, dignity and economic prospects of communities that have lived with the sanitation challenge for decades.