The Greater Accra Regional Minister-designate, Titus Glover says with the rainy season approaching, it is important to halt encroachment at the Tema-Sakumono Ramsar site.

According to him, the rainy season could exacerbate the dangers posed by poorly constructed buildings in the area.

“So I need to get to the grounds with the REGSEC members to see things for myself. I know it’s in the process for them to get them regularised. I will speed up the process of regularisation and protect the core area of what is left.”

“We want to start from the 12th, this whole stretch on my left and right, straight into the sea are all part of the Ramsar site,” he said.

His comment comes after the Regional Coordinating Council issued a final warning to all encroachers along the Tema-Sakumono Ramsar site as they race to salvage what’s left of the ecosystem.

The site acts as a basin for rainwater. However, in recent months, many buildings have sprung up close to the site.

On the back of this, the Minister revealed that, despite clear markings indicating the protected status of certain areas within the Tema-Sakumono Ramsar site, some developers have disregarded these boundaries and continued with construction activities.

He added that no individual or group legitimately owns any land within the Tema-Sakumono Ramsar site.

“The briefing I had from the Forestry Commission was that nobody has any document on this land. Anybody who says he has a site plan or a letter, nobody. There is a process that they go through.

"The board of the Forestry Commission has to approve and based on that the Chief Executive will write to the Minister of Lands and Forestry, then it will come back to the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission, then they will write to Lands Commission.”

According to him, the only legitimate way to claim ownership of land is through legal means, such as holding the official title to the land.

Mr Titus assured that the core areas of the Tema-Sakumono Ramsar site will be protected from encroachment and other illegal activities to avoid potential flooding risks.

“We will ensure that we will protect the core areas. Because human beings, when you give them one, they will go five, ten and by the time you realise, it’s becoming a problem."

According to him, some individuals have resorted to using heavy stones and sand to fill up areas within the Ramsar site.

“But they have forgotten that what they are doing, they are creating serious problems for people within their homes. So this is something that we have to sanitise to make sure everyone is free. Very soon, the rains will be setting in, what do we do? They have been blaming the government that we are ineffective and not performing.

“So clearly, the REGSEC members have come on the ground. Me being a new person, I need to see everything for myself and make sure the right things are done. I am a man of my word, so leave that for me. I don’t take a single decision, it’s a collective decision. So when we get there, we will assess the situation and see how best we will go about it.”