East Legon: 'Why do you allow containers everywhere in such an expensive area?' — Parliament Committee questions Assembly

Parliament's Local Government and Rural Development Committee has directed the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly to take action against the growing number of containers and other unauthorised structures appearing in East Legon, Accra.

The Committee raised the concern when officials of the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly appeared before Parliament to account for activities in the municipality and respond to questions on development control and enforcement of planning regulations.

During the engagement, the Assembly officials disclosed that it had not granted permits for the containers and temporary structures that have sprung up at different locations within East Legon.

The disclosure has raised questions about the Assembly's ability to monitor developments and enforce planning regulations in the municipality, particularly in East Legon, an area known for its high-value residential and commercial properties.

Committee Chairperson Queenstar Maame Pokuah Sawyerr questioned how the structures could continue to emerge when the Assembly itself had confirmed that they were not authorised.

She warned that the proliferation of such structures could undermine proper physical planning and affect the orderly development of the area.

“Why do you allow containers springing up everywhere around such an expensive area? And temporary structures too. There are a lot of them there. Are you ready to do something about it because they are unauthorised structures and containers and all of that?”

The Committee subsequently tasked the Assembly to formulate a comprehensive plan to deal with the situation and remove the unauthorised structures from the area.

Ms Sawyerr stressed that the Assembly must move beyond identifying the problem and take concrete enforcement measures to prevent the continued spread of the containers and temporary structures.

The directive forms part of the Committee's broader concerns over development control and the enforcement of planning regulations within the Ayawaso West Municipality.