As Ghana accelerates efforts to tackle climate change, national attention has largely focused on flood control and improved drainage systems. Yet, in Agbogbloshie—one of Accra’s most vulnerable and densely populated communities—residents are facing another silent but equally deadly threat: extreme urban heat compounded by toxic air pollution and overcrowded housing.
Despite initiatives like the Greater Accra Resilient and Integrated Development Project (GARID), which aim to enhance climate resilience in the capital, many argue that low-income neighborhoods like Agbogbloshie remain excluded from meaningful intervention.
In Agbogbloshie, heat is not just an inconvenience—it’s a matter of survival. Narrow pathways, corrugated metal roofs, and poorly ventilated rooms trap unbearable temperatures, creating oven-like conditions that persist throughout the day and night. “My children have heat rashes every day. We pour water on the floor to cool the place, but it still feels like we’re suffocating,” said Madjin Wachichi, a yam seller. Another resident, Inusah Damata, added, “At night, the heat remains unbearable. We pay 80 cedis for this room, but it feels like living in fire.”
Public health experts warn that prolonged exposure to high temperatures can lead to exhaustion, dehydration, and respiratory complications, especially among children, the elderly, and pregnant women.
But heat isn’t the only problem. Agbogbloshie is known as one of West Africa’s largest e-waste recycling hubs, where scrap workers burn discarded cables and appliances to extract metals. The fires release thick, toxic smoke filled with dangerous chemicals. “I know the smoke is dangerous. It makes my chest hurt, but this is how I survive,” said one scrap dealer.
According to Professor Felix Hughes of the University of Ghana, inhaling fumes from burning e-waste exposes residents to harmful levels of lead, mercury, and cadmium—substances linked to severe respiratory and neurological illnesses. “When heat and toxic air combine, the human body becomes highly vulnerable. These conditions are hazardous even for short-term exposure,” he explained.
A 2024 study by geography lecturer Dr. Ebenezer Amankwah found that indoor temperatures in Accra’s informal settlements can be up to 5°C higher than in planned neighborhoods. “When you combine heat with poor housing and toxic environments, you create a public health time bomb. GARID’s interventions must reach these communities urgently,” Dr. Amankwah said. The study connected rising heat levels to increased cases of fatigue, heat exhaustion, and respiratory infections in slum areas, underscoring the growing inequality in Accra’s climate resilience efforts.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Ghana’s Ministry of Works and Housing have begun implementing urban greening projects under the GARID initiative. These efforts aim to lower surface temperatures through tree planting, shaded public areas, and eco-friendly landscaping. “We want to reduce heat by increasing shade. Trees, not tiles, are key,” said EPA CEO Professor Nana Ama Klutse.
Yet, in Agbogbloshie, progress remains minimal. Few trees survive amid smoke, concrete, and constant activity. Some residents have tried to act on their own by organizing community clean-ups and small awareness campaigns on the dangers of heat exposure. But they stress that government assistance is essential if long-term relief is to be achieved.
For residents of Agbogbloshie, climate change is not an abstract global issue—it’s a daily battle against suffocating heat and toxic air. Their situation reflects a deeper problem: climate inequality. Without urgent and inclusive intervention, urban neglect will continue to endanger lives in Ghana’s most marginalized communities.
“Climate resilience must be inclusive—no one left behind,” residents insist.
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