An emotional scene unfolding during the ongoing demolition exercise at the Sakumono Ramsar site has stirred reactions online after a video showed an elderly man in visible distress over the destruction of his property.
The footage, which circulated widely on X on May 7, 2026, captured the man, believed to be in his 70s, angrily confronting security personnel at the demolition site within the Golf Course enclave.
In the short clip sighted by AP News, the man appeared overwhelmed as he watched structures being pulled down during the operation led by the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and the Tema West Municipal Assembly.
“Leave me, they should kill me today… I will let them kill me. I want the soldiers to kill me… You bunch of fools, it shall never be well with you,” he shouted while raining curses on the officers present.
The demolition forms part of a three-day exercise targeting illegal structures erected within the protected wetland area, which authorities say has suffered years of encroachment.
Officials have described the operation as one of the strongest enforcement measures undertaken so far to protect the internationally recognised Ramsar site and restore blocked waterways.
According to authorities, the exercise has become more urgent due to worsening drainage problems caused by buildings constructed along major water channels, a situation blamed for increased flooding in surrounding communities.
With the rainy season already underway, officials say restoring the natural flow of water has become both an environmental and public safety priority, as continued encroachment poses growing risks to lives and property.
Authorities also stressed that the demolition exercise did not come without warning, explaining that similar enforcement actions have been carried out over several years as part of broader efforts to protect the wetland from illegal development.
See the video below:
