Residents of Sonitra in Amasaman, Greater Accra Region, have raised concerns over worsening sanitation conditions, attributing the situation to an alleged illegal dumping site in the community.

Speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show on Wednesday, July 8, a resident, Daniel Nkrumah, said the problem dates back to 2018 after a quarry operator abandoned a large pit in the area.

According to him, the pit gradually filled with rainwater and became a gathering point for some residents, particularly during holidays.

"I built my house around 2017. In 2018, on Farmers' Day, three young men drowned in the abandoned pit. The then Member of Parliament, officials from the Ga West Municipal Assembly, and the Amasaman Police came to retrieve the bodies," he recounted.

Mr Nkrumah said Assembly officials initially indicated that the pit could not be filled with laterite and proposed engaging waste management authorities to reclaim the area with refuse under proper supervision.

However, he alleged that the land was later acquired by a private individual who began operating a dumping site without the involvement of an approved waste management company.

"I began challenging the activities at the site. Together with other residents, we petitioned the Municipal Chief Executive at the time, who told us the operators did not have the required permit to work there," he said.

He further alleged that tricycle operators, popularly known as Aboboyaa, now transport refuse to the site, creating an unbearable stench across the neighbourhood.

"When residents complain, some people are allegedly sent to threaten us. At one point, the MCE organised a conference call between myself and the owner of the site over the matter," he added.

Another resident, Eric Drovu, said the community has endured the situation for the past three years.

"The biggest challenge is the offensive smell, mosquitoes and flies. You can't sit outside or even leave your doors open," he said.

Mr Drovu also complained about the activities of Aboboya operators, saying they frequently obstruct roads, dump waste indiscriminately and abandon broken-down vehicles on the streets.

"The roads are often blocked. Even taxi drivers refuse to come into the area at night because of the congestion caused by the tricycles," he stated.

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He added that the community has no access to pipe-borne water, forcing many households to rely on hand-dug wells, raising fears about possible contamination.

According to the residents, several complaints have been lodged with the Assembly, but they are yet to see a lasting solution.

They claim Assembly officials informed them that the owner of the land had initially indicated the property would be used for farming, but it has instead become what residents described as an "uncontrolled" landfill site.