Greater Accra Regional Minister to seek legal action to stop construction on waterways

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, says his outfit will immediately secure an injunction from the court on all structures under construction on waterways in the capital.

He said this when he visited the Kpeshie Lagoon in the La Dade-Kotopon Municipality where some structures had been mounted on the banks of the lagoon.

Mr. Quartey had earlier ordered the demolition of structures on waterways.

Some assemblies in Accra like the Accra Metropolitan Authority and Ablekuma West Municipal Assembly have also threatened to demolish buildings on waterways to limit the potential impact of flooding.

But Mr. Quartey has now cautioned developers engaged in such acts to refrain from it as he seeks legal redress.

“I will seek the advice of the Attorney General as a matter of urgency to place an injunction on all buildings springing up on waterways.”

“That will allow the assemblies to now begin to conduct an investigation as to which of them have actually encroached into the waterways and the Ramsar site,” the minister explained.

“This is just a caution to developers. Hopefully, very soon, we will secure an injunction on all buildings and structures that are in the waterways and all illegal or unauthorised structures. Once we get that injunction, anyone who attempts to build, we will get the police to arrest them for contempt,” he added.

In line with legal action, the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in 2018 said it was seeking legal backing to demolish structures on waterways.

It drafted a Legislative Instrument to be sent to Parliament to receive the necessary endorsement to make the exercise acceptable by law.

---citinewsroom