St John's Grammar Sued Over Concrete Factory

A group of residents near St John's Grammar Senior High School at New Achimota in Accra, numbering about 48, have sued the Board of Directors of the school for allegedly releasing part of the school's land to a private developer.

The group, led by one Isaac Ofori-Poku, has also added G&E Grup Limited - the private company engaged in pre-mix concrete supplies – the Ghana Education Service (GES), manager of public schools, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as well as the Ga West Municipal Assembly in the suit.

Reliefs
The plaintiffs are seeking a declaration that the lease of part of the school lands to G&E Grup Limited for private business by the school's Board of Directors 'is unlawful and invalid.'

They want a further declaration that the operation of G&E Grup Limited's pre-mix concrete in a purely residential area (at New Achimota) 'would have dire and serious issues' as well as an order that the operation of the private company 'is having or likely to have serious adverse effects on the health and wellbeing of residents of the area.'

The plaintiffs want an order for perpetual injunction against G&E Grup Limited's operation and additional order restraining the EPA as well as the Ga West Municipal Assembly from granting G&E Grup Limited permit to operate in the area.

They are also praying the court for an order directing the EPA and the Ga West Municipal Assembly to abrogate the lease agreements they have with G&E Grup Limited.

The plaintiffs are claiming that G&E Grup Limited had allegedly refused to procure all the necessary permits from the EPA and the Ga West Municipal Assembly before commencing operation and claimed the company did not take into consideration the health and safety of students of the school and families living in the area.

They further aver that the GES and the school's Board of Directors should have known that the purpose for which they leased the land to the company would have caused a lot of nuisance and harm to the students and staff of the school and residents of the area, and should not have leased it to the company.

'The operation of G&E Grup Limited is in breach of the laws of Ghana and should be prevented from operating this kind of business in a purely residential area,' the relief pointed out.

It was unclear if the defendants had filed their statements of defence as at press time last night.

By William Yaw Owusu