A demolition exercise is underway at Laboma Beach in the La Dade-Kotopon Municipality, with military engineers tearing down beachfront clubs, eateries, and hospitality facilities constructed within the protected buffer zone of the Kpeshie Lagoon.
The exercise began in the early hours of Sunday, September 13, 2026, and has already brought down several high-profile establishments, including the popular Pink Flamingo Lounge .
21-Day Ultimatum Expires
The action follows a directive issued on August 7, 2026, by the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC), which ordered residents and business operators within the designated buffer zone to vacate voluntarily within 21 days .
Facilities named in the notice included Pink Flamingo, ULA Beach Club, Trophy, Bliss Escape, Amsterdam Kitchen, Si Beach Resort, and Alora Beach Resort .
Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ocloo, who led the REGSEC team to serve the notices, said the affected facilities had been built in areas meant to serve as buffer zones for the Kpeshie Lagoon and that their continued presence was worsening flooding in the area .
Military Engineers Lead Operation
The demolition is being carried out by the 48 Engineer Regiment of the Ghana Armed Forces, operating under the government’s Post-Flood Mitigation Task Force established following severe flooding in June and July .
Lieutenant Colonel Frank Osei Amponsah, Commanding Officer of the 48 Engineer Regiment, said the structures had obstructed the waterway, contributing to severe flooding.
“Here at Laboma, as you can see, the Teshie Lagoon runs through into the sea,” he said. “And all these structures that you see here have, in some way or the other, blocked the waterway, causing severe floods” .
He revealed that during the June 29 floods, personnel of the 48 Engineer Regiment rescued more than 121 victims, underscoring the devastating impact of the flooding .
The exercise will not end with demolition. Lieutenant Colonel Osei Amponsah said the task force intends to dredge the waterway and expand its width to ensure free flow of water .
Years of Encroachment Led to Flooding
Minister Ocloo explained that developers had used heavy boulders as foundation material to reclaim portions of the Kpeshie Lagoon for construction, dumping rocks into the water body before covering them with sand and other fill materials .
“Everybody knows Laboma. All this place used to be Mangrove, it’s a wetland and that’s the sea. They cut the trees, filled this place and sold the land to developers including businesses to build hotels and other things,” she said .
She disclosed that some developers had previously been cautioned at the foundation stage of their projects but defied the warnings and proceeded with construction.
“Some of the buildings here, when they were at their early stage, we asked the owners not to continue, but they still went ahead. People sometimes just push us and call you all kinds of names. At the end of the day, I am not even sure the encroachers even have permits,” she said .
The Regional Minister noted that the June flooding at Tse Addo was directly linked to these illegal structures. “We did a risk assessment and we realised that for the first time there was flooding at Tse Addo, it was because of these illegal structures” .
Broader Flood Mitigation Campaign
Sunday’s exercise is part of a coordinated, multi-location flood mitigation programme across Greater Accra .
On July 24, the Task Force demolished illegal retaining walls and unauthorised structures along the banks of the Tesa Dam and the Legon Boundary Road watercourse, followed by dredging to restore the dam’s storage capacity .
The operation later moved to the Lafa Water Retention Basin at Mallam, where the 48 Engineer Regiment deployed heavy equipment to remove large volumes of compacted solid waste that had silted the natural reservoir .
The Task Force is led by Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Stan Xoese Dogbe, with operational coordination by Brigadier General Okae-Yeboah, Director General, Joint Operations of the Ghana Armed Forces .
Cooperation Urged
Minister Ocloo urged affected residents and stakeholders to cooperate with the exercise.
“These interventions are necessary to protect lives, property and communities as we work proactively to mitigate flooding in the near future,” she said in a Facebook post .
“I urge all affected residents and stakeholders to cooperate with the exercise as we take decisive steps towards building safer and more resilient communities across Greater Accra” .
Authorities say similar enforcement and restoration operations will continue at identified flood-prone locations as government intensifies measures to safeguard lives and property .
