President John Dramani Mahama is launching a major operation to evacuate accumulated waste from Agbogbloshie in Accra and transport it to the Adepa Landfill Site at Nsawam as the government moves to address one of the capital's longstanding sanitation problems.

The exercise is being organized by the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization and Rural Development in collaboration with the Ghana Armed Forces, with support from the District Road Improvement Programmed, DRIP.

The waste will be transported approximately 42 kilometers from Accra to the landfill facility at Nsawam.

President Mahama is serving as Guest of Honor at the commissioning ceremony scheduled for Friday at the IRECOP Management Centre at Jamestown.

GOVERNMENT MOBILISES MAJOR LOGISTICS

The operation follows weeks of preparation involving several government institutions.

Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga previously described the massive accumulation of waste at Agbogbloshie as a national sanitation emergency requiring coordinated action.

The government has been mobilizing dump trucks, loaders, bulldozers and other heavy equipment for the exercise.

The Ghana Armed Forces has also been brought into the operation, with the military engineering regiment assigned a role in the exercise.

Equipment and personnel from Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies have also been mobilized.

WASTE TO BE MOVED TO NSAWAM

The accumulated waste will be transported to the Adepa Landfill Site at Nsawam, where authorities say it can be handled under more controlled conditions.

The scale of the operation means large numbers of heavy trucks could travel between Accra and Nsawam while the evacuation continues.

Authorities have previously acknowledged that the movement of trucks could temporarily affect motorists along the route.

The government has considered operating the evacuation exercise around the clock to accelerate the removal process.

DRONES AND AI USED TO ASSESS WASTE

Technical teams have also used drones and artificial intelligence to assess the scale of the waste accumulation.

According to the Local Government Minister, the technology was deployed to help estimate the volume of waste and determine the number of trucks, equipment and personnel required.

Ayariga previously estimated that parts of the waste heap had grown to approximately the height of a 10 storey building.

The government says clearing the area requires a national operation rather than leaving the responsibility entirely to local authorities.

RECLAIMED LAND PLANNED FOR DEVELOPMENT

Beyond removing the waste, the government is planning to redevelop the reclaimed land.

President Mahama said on Friday that the reclaimed Agbogbloshie site would be transformed into an industrial hub, including plans for a textile factory.

The redevelopment is expected to form part of broader efforts to create economic activity and employment after the sanitation operation is completed.

The government has also been promoting its wider 24 Hour Economy programmed as part of its strategy to expand production, employment and economic activity across the country.

MAJOR TEST FOR ACCRAS SANITATION DRIVE

Agbogbloshie has for years been associated with serious waste management and environmental challenges.

Government officials say removing the existing waste must be accompanied by measures to prevent another accumulation at the site.

Ayariga has called for greater public responsibility for sanitation while stressing that clearing the current waste heap alone will not permanently solve Accra's waste problem.

The operation will therefore be closely watched not only for how quickly authorities can remove the accumulated waste, but also for whether the area can remain clean after the exercise and be successfully redeveloped.