The military is expected to take charge of security at James Town following a planned government operation to evacuate the huge volumes of waste accumulated in the area.

Local Government Minister Ahmed Ibrahim Ayariga says the military will secure the cleared site to prevent residents from returning to dump waste and to stop squatters from occupying the land.

He said the measure is intended to ensure that the government’s cleanup exercise is not undermined by renewed illegal dumping or unplanned settlements.

“After we've moved it out of the James Town area, the military will take responsibility for protecting that area and making sure that we don't bring back waste and also squatters don't stay on the land that we have cleared and create a mess again for us,” he said.

The Minister was speaking during a tour of waste management facilities as part of efforts to assess the country's waste management challenges and identify sustainable solutions.

This comes as the government is preparing a major operation to evacuate the huge volumes of accumulated waste from James Town in Accra to the Adipa Waste Management Centre, an engineered landfill facility at Nsawam in the Eastern Region, with the military expected to play a key role in securing the area after the cleanup.

The operation will bring together the Ministries of Local Government, Defence, Roads and Highways, and Finance as authorities work to determine the logistical requirements for clearing the waste.

Local Government Minister said officials are currently assessing the volume of waste, the distance to designated landfill sites and the capacity of available trucks to determine the number of trips and the amount of fuel required.

He said the government is also working to ensure that the waste removed from James Town has suitable receiving sites.

Mr Ayariga said the government is also considering broader plans for the redevelopment of the James Town area once the waste has been removed.

The Ministry of Finance is expected to play a role in financing the operation and supporting plans for the redevelopment of the site.

The government says the exercise is part of efforts to address persistent sanitation challenges in the capital and prevent cleared areas from becoming dumping grounds again.