The Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has cautioned Ghanaians to stop blaming only politicians for the country’s problems and instead take personal responsibility, especially in protecting the environment.

She gave the caution on the back of the ongoing demolishing exercise being undertaken by the Greater Accra Regional Minister and the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to safeguard Ghana’s wetlands, waterways, and protected Ramsar sites from encroachment and illegal development.

According to Madam Gomashie, many citizens knowingly build in restricted areas and later ask for leniency or compensation after their structures are removed.

“You do the wrong thing, and when we come to demolish it, you beg for mercy and ask for compensation. But why should government pay for something you knew was wrong? We all need to do the right thing” she said.

She added that safeguarding the country’s natural spaces is not the sole duty of politicians.

“There’s this idea that only politicians must do the right thing. But what about the rest of us? If you build on a waterway or in a risky area, you are part of the problem,” she stressed.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo, who is leading the demolition efforts, said the operation is aimed at restoring key protected areas and reducing the risk of flooding in the city.

She explained that three Ramsar sites in the region Densu Delta, Songo Lagoon, and Sakumono Lagoon have been heavily encroached upon by illegal structures.

“We are not ending here. After this, we’ll move to other locations. These sites are reserved and people were aware they were not supposed to build there,” she said.

Madam Ocloo stated that after the demolition, the areas would be cleared and handed over to the Forestry Commission for proper maintenance.

She added that there were currently no plans for compensation. “Why would you expect compensation when you knew it was wrong to build there in the first place?” she asked.

Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Dr. Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, indicated that the action is not meant to punish people but to protect the community and restore natural balance.

“When you build where you’re not supposed to, there’s only one solution, to remove the structure. Demolition is done to protect human life and preserve the environment. It’s not out of wickedness; it’s about public safety” he noted.

He stressed the importance of considering the interest of the majority, not just individual gains, especially when lives and natural resources are at risk.

Environmental expert, Prof. Alex Berima Owusu of the University of Ghana, warned that destroying wetlands and ecological systems will bring negative consequences for everyone.

He explained that humans and the environment are closely linked.

“When we destroy nature, we pay for it. The environment suffers and human beings bear the consequences. That is why we need to let the law work. These places are ecologically important and must be protected for future generations” he said.

He urging all Ghanaians to respect land use regulations and environmental laws, and to work together to protect wetlands and water bodies, which play a key role in controlling floods, maintaining biodiversity, and ensuring a sustainable future.

By: Jacob Aggrey