Tamale Landfill Site Mismanaged, Flies Invade Communities

Mayor of Tamale

RESIDENTS of Gbalai and Kulaa communities in the Tamale North Constituency in the newly created Sagnarigu District in the Northern Region of Ghana, are threatening fire and brimstone following the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly’s refusal to properly maintain its landfill site located in the area. 

The people and their Assemblyman Alhassan Seidu told Savannahnews during a visit to the landfill site that, they will mount road blocks to stop any vehicle that will be bringing waste to the landfill site, if the Assembly fails to properly maintain the place.

Due to the lack of proper maintenance of the only engineered landfill site in the region owned by the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, the heaps of solid garbage and human excreta constantly being dumped at the site have began to decompose and breed colony of houseflies which invade the homes of residents.

This is the second time in two years that residents of the Gbalai and Kulaa communities are complaining of houseflies’ invasion into their homes and causing nuisance to them anytime they are cooking, serving or eating food.

Heaps of Garbage at the landfill site

In 2012, the same problem including other concerns emerged and it took the then Mayor and other Assembly officials to go and beg residents of the two communities to rescind their decision while they addressed the problem. 

At the moment, the hapless and helpless residents are expressing fears of being attacked by cholera and other health problems due to the constant invasion of numerous houseflies in their homes during the day.   

Assemblyman for the Gbalai and Kulaa Electoral Area Mr. Seidu told Savannahnews, that the same problem he and his people complained about in 2012 is the same problem that has emerged.

He said he had drawn the attention of the Mayor of Tamale Hanan Abdul-Rahman Gundado to the problem through a letter and was yet to receive an official response. “I have also informed my DCE for Sagnarigu…… he promised to speak to the Mayor of Tamale to see what they can do about it”, he said.

The District Chief Executive for Sagnarigu Alhassan Mohammed Soru-gudoo expressed surprised at the persistent insanitary conditions at the Tamale landfill site but admitted that, the Assembly is helpless over the situation.

He confirmed the numerous calls he has received from the Assemblyman of the two affected communities and the seriousness of the problem and indicated his readiness to address the problem in collaboration with the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly since it is their property, but unfortunately located in the Sagnarigu District.

Meanwhile, the Director of Public Affairs, Tamale Metropolitan Assembly Issah Musah Salifu also admitted in an interview with Savannahnews, that the present condition of the landfill site is terrible but downplayed assertions by the community people that the situation could cause a serious public health problem in the area.

Mr. Salifu however gave the assurance that Waste Management Company, Zoomlion Ghana, is assessing the situation and is getting ready to move to the site to address the problem before things get worse.