For decades, Ghana’s political leadership has treated our ecological treasures—most notably the Sakumono, Densu Delta, and Kpeshie Ramsar sites—with a mixture of administrative paralysis and electoral timidity. While state officials looked the other way, well-connected estate developers, land guards, and private individuals aggressively filled our wetlands with sand, trading our national flood-defense systems for concrete empires. As the old Dagomba warrior proverb wisely reminds us: “If a town is burning, it is not the time to argue over who owns the water.” The catastrophic nationwide floods of June 29, 2026, served as a grim reminder that nature cannot be cheated. In the words of the Holy Bible in Ecclesiastes 8:11, “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.”

In a decisive break from this long policy of appeasement, President John Dramani Mahama, Commander-in-Chief of the Republic of Ghana Armed Forces, has made a bold and necessary decision. By deploying the formidable 48 Engineer Regiment and Combat Sappers to lead a nationwide waterway clearing and wetland restoration operation, the President has finally broken the cycle of political hesitation. This mirrors the sharp wit of Alhaji ABA Fuseini, who famously observed that “You cannot use your fingers to remove a hot charcoal from the fire when you have a pair of tongs nearby.” The military is our nation’s ultimate pair of tongs.

The military has already proven its unmatched efficiency, recently clearing over 50% of the dense forest terrain for the new Accra-Kumasi Expressway project weeks ahead of schedule. As the Greek philosopher Aristotle beautifully noted, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.” If our Combat Engineers can pierce through miles of thick forest with such habitual precision, they possess the exact operational capacity needed to reclaim our choked lagoons. Ghanaians from all walks of life must throw their absolute, unwavering support behind the military team to once and for all bring to rest an environmental crisis that past leadership has shied away from. Kudos to the President for this bold step.

The Reality on the Ground: Understanding the Threat

To fully appreciate why this military intervention is vital, citizens must understand the severe damage done to our core ecological zones:

• The Scale of Loss: Studies by the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development (GARID) project reveal that over 50% of the land area within the Kpeshie Lagoon and Sakumono Ramsar Site has been lost to illegal structural encroachment.
• The Consequence: Ramsar sites act as giant natural sponges designed to absorb millions of gallons of storm runoff. With these basins built over, rainwater has nowhere to go, turning normal seasonal downpours into deadly, destructive torrents.
• The Cost of Timidity: Previous civilian demolition attempts often stalled due to legal injunctions, political interference, and local resistance, allowing illegal structures to multiply unchecked. As another deep Dagomba proverb says, “The man who allows a snake to sleep on his mat shouldn’t complain when he gets bitten in the night.”

Actionable Suggestions for Sustained Military Operations

To ensure the 48 Engineer Regiment successfully restores these sites to their original ecological status, reason and understanding must prevail through the following operational measures:

• Transition to Deep Industrial Dredging: The military must move beyond surface desilting and use heavy engineering equipment to deeply dredge the core water basins of the Densu Delta, Kpeshie, and Sakumono lagoons to permanently restore their water-carrying capacity.
• Establish Permanent Military Buffer Checkpoints: Once an illegal structure is demolished or a waterway is cleared, the Combat Sappers should set up temporary monitoring posts. In line with the biblical wisdom of Proverbs 22:28, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set,” these checkpoints will safeguard our ecological borders.
• Integrate Local Communities: The military should work closely with local youth and traditional authorities, using community-led monitoring models to identify and stop illegal night-time construction before foundations are laid.

Key Recommendations for Government Policy

As the African proverb goes, “An elephant that kills a rat with its tusks does not show its strength.” To ensure the military’s might is backed by institutional justice, President Mahama’s administration should support the boots on the ground with strict policy reforms:

• Enforce a Zero-Permit Policy: The Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development must hold Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) strictly accountable, ensuring that absolutely no building permits are ever regularized for properties sitting inside Ramsar boundaries.
• Sustain the Emergency Funding: The GH₵300 million emergency fund allocated for flood mitigation must be managed transparently, ensuring that a dedicated portion directly fuels the military’s heavy machinery and logistical needs.
• Execute Strict Legal Prosecution: The Attorney General must swiftly prosecute developers who deliberately destroyed protected wetlands, sending a clear message that environmental law-breaking will carry heavy penalties.

President John Dramani Mahama has shown true statesmanship by handing this complex, long-delayed task to the disciplined hands of the Ghana Armed Forces. The 48 Engineer Regiment brings to this fight a level of patriotism, speed, and technical excellence that private contractors simply cannot match. To those whose properties are affected, let us calm our nerves and remember the timeless words of the international statesman Kofi Annan: “To live is to choose. But to choose well, you must know who you are and what you stand for, and where you want to go.” This exercise is not driven by malice, but by a collective need to save our capital from sinking.

As ABA Fuseini would say, “The rain beats the leopard’s skin, but it does not wash away its spots.” The political pressure from wealthy encroachers will be fierce, but the military’s resolve must remain unwashed. As citizens, we must stand firmly behind our uniform-wearing men and women. Let us reject the temptation to buy cheap, unapproved wetland plots, and instead champion this aggressive restoration agenda. President Mahama has made the bold call; now, let us as a nation provide the collective political will to reclaim Ghana’s future from the brink of environmental ruin.

✍️ Retired Senior Citizen
For and on behalf of all Senior Citizens of the Republic of Ghana 🇬🇭

Teshie‑Nungua
[email protected]