Tema: The Sakumo and Chemu lagoons, now facing severe environmental degradation, once played critical spiritual and strategic roles in the settlement and protection of the people of Tema.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Sakumo Lagoon and its catchment area have come under increasing pressure due to encroachment by developers, gradually narrowing its natural flow. Designated as a Ramsar site, the lagoon serves as an important habitat for migratory birds. Similarly, the Chemu Lagoon has suffered extensive pollution, with its waters turning black due to industrial oil effluents discharged from nearby factories within the industrial and harbour city. Human activities, including indiscriminate waste disposal by squatter communities along its banks, have further worsened its condition.
However, long before these lagoons were impacted by human activities, they held deep cultural and historical significance for the indigenous people of Tema. The Sakumo Lagoon continues to play a role in traditional practices, as rituals associated with festivals such as Homowo and Kplejoo are still performed there. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency as part of activities marking Ghana Month, Nii Amarh Soumponu II, Tema Stool Secretary and Shipi, said the lagoons were central to the survival and protection of the early Tema inhabitants.
Nii Soumponu explained that the people of Tema deliberately settled between the Sakumo Lagoon to the east and the Chemu Lagoon to the west. According to him, beyond providing fish and livelihood, the lagoons were believed to possess spiritual powers that offered protection during times of conflict. "At that time, we believed the lagoons were spirits, and they protected us during wars," he said. Nii Soumponu noted that the positioning of the community between the two lagoons was strategic in defending against external attacks. He explained that the lagoons served as natural and spiritual barriers, offering protection depending on the direction of threat. "If the enemy came from the left, Sakumo would protect us, and if they came from the right, Chemu would provide the needed spiritual protection," he said.
He stressed that the historical importance of the lagoons should serve as a reminder of the need to preserve them for future generations.