Academic urban legend, Agbogbloshie: Sweeping away the "World's Largest E-Waste Dumpsite"

Abstract

Agbogbloshie, once an internationally recognised toxic e-waste site, was thrust into prominence by sensationalised media and literature. Despite various e-waste initiatives by the government and development partners, the municipality unexpectedly demolished the site in 2021. This action can be attributed partly to the municipality's inability to effectively manage informality, and partly to the propagation of questionable ‘facts’ based on inadequate data, journalistic views, and distortions, which fueled an urban myth and intensified extreme perceptions about Agbogbloshie and its policy trajectory. The emergence and downfall of this academic urban legend are demonstrated through an examination of Wikipedia activity related to the Agbogbloshie page, Google citations, other digital traces, and publication patterns. The Agbogbloshie case highlights the risks of globalizing extreme urban cases, underscores the need for more consistent and aligned urban policies and actions in Accra that are not only consistent and aligned but also cognizant of the complexities of informality, viewing it as a manifestation of underlying socio-economic challenges. It also calls for strategies that avoid displacement and fragmentation, recognising the potential hazards of relocating informal challenges to other urban and peri-urban areas following slum demolitions.