Squatters evicted from state property

Scores of squatters on a piece of land belonging to the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) in Accra were on Monday morning evicted to pave way for the construction of an access road.

The Police and Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) supervised the exercise started at about 0400 hours to remove the squatters from around the City Campus of the University of Ghana, Ministry of Information and National Orientation, through Amishadai to Liberia Road.

The squatters, some of whom started dismantling their structures last Friday, hired carpenters and other experts to ensure that their structures, including chop bars, stationery stores and offices were handled well.

Mr John Dogba, a Director of the RCC, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that the squatters, who had encroached on the land for many years were given over a year's notice to vacate the land but had not heeded the calls hence the decision to evict them.

He said the removal exercise met with no resistance since the squatters knew that they should have left about one month earlier.

Mr Dogba also said RCC was now ready to construct the road.

Mr Edward Oduro, a shoe repairer, confirmed that they had been served notice to quit and expressed the hope that they would be given a place to relocate since he, for example, was physically challenged and would not want to go to the streets to beg for alms.

Source: GNA