Tap the talents of slum residents, Freddie Blay

Accra, June 4, GNA - Mr Freddie Blay, former first Deputy Speaker of Parliament to relook at the issue of slum dwellers because they possess so much potential that could be tapped for productive use.

He said when the positive side of the slum situation was looked at well it was possible for city planners and experts to find the best solution to integrate them into the mainstream society for the benefit of the country.

Mr Blay said these on Friday when he launched “Faces of Old Fadama” a magazine produced by students of African University College of Communications (AUCC) in Accra.

The magazine was produced through the effort of some students of the College, who embarked on a reporting assignment at Old Fadama in Accra in collaboration with People's Dialogue on Human Settlements (PDG), a community based Non-Governmental Organisation; the Ghana Federation of Urban Poor and Journalists for Human Rights.

Mr Blay expressed concern about the poor living conditions of people who live in slums in the country.

The magazine covered areas such as problems affecting the slum dwellers, causes of slums, how slum residents survive and adapt to the harsh conditions of slum life and the various human abuses happening at slum areas.

Mr Blay continued that slum dwellers formed a substantial number of the population yet they were often left behind in terms of meeting their socio-economic, cultural and political needs.

He stated that even though Old Fadama was considered an illegal settlement by the local authorities, these people were part of the society whose needs had to be met.

Old Fadama is the largest informal settlement in Accra with a population of about 79,000 people, occupying 31.3 hectares of the city land along Odaw River and Korle Lagoon.

History had it residents, who settled there, hailed from neighbouring West African countries that came to settle there to seek for jobs, to escape war, violence or abuse, among others.

GNA