AMA On Warpath Again - 100 Houses On Water Courses Being Demolished

Alfred Vanderpuije — AMA boss

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has begun an exercise to demolish about 100 structures constructed on watercourses from Chemuanaa to Sakaman in the Ablekuma South sub-metro.

The demolition of the structures is to pave way for the Mamponse Community Upgrading and Chemu Storm Drainage Project.

The exercise, which started in the early hours of Tuesday, is expected to affect about 1,000 residents living at Chemuanaa which is home to about 36,000 people, mostly fishermen and traders with low levels of income.

Though most residents were aware of the exercise, others, especially tenants, have not been told by the assembly that they would be affected, according to the Member of Parliament for Ablekuma, Mr Fritz Baffour.

Consequently, he said, “It will have a negative impact on them; some people are going to suffer”. He said although the exercise was necessary, the AMA should have done more work to know the number of people who would be affected and how the impact could be mitigated.

But the AMA has justified the action, saying it gave the affected residents ample time to relocate and, therefore, they must not feign surprise at the demolition.

Though there had been some hue and cry over the exercise by some residents who claimed they had not been informed, some affected residents expressed their support for the project and indicated that they would temporarily stay with relatives and friends, while they looked for alternative accommodation.

Officials of the AMA were accompanied by heavy security, obviously in anticipation of possible resistance from residents, but the policemen had very little to do as there was no resistance.

“Though this is difficult for us and our families, we believe it is a well intended exercise which will eventually benefit us,” a resident, Madam Eugenia Mensah, said.

There was severe flooding in some parts of Accra during this year’s rainy season and this was largely attributed to the construction of structures on watercourses.

The Second Urban Environmental Sanitation Initiative is a project which includes the upgrading of the water supply system for Mamponse, which covers seven kilometres of water distribution ancillaries, as well as 28 kilometres of U-Type drains along the roads and outlets to the lagoon.

The Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Alfred Vanderpuije, explained that the due process for the exercise had been followed and explained that each affected resident had been given enough time to relocate.

He explained that the project, estimated to cost 8.3 million-Euro, must be carried out to improve on the lives of residents in that part of the city, as well as open up the community to business opportunities.

President John Evans Atta Mills cut the sod for the two-year project at the Karikari Brobbey Park at Dansoman in the Ablekuma South Sub-metro on October 21, this year.

The project, which is wholly funded by the French Government, involves the construction of 275 metres of concrete-closed rectangular drains, 2,325 metres of concrete trapezoidal drains, including inlets from main tributaries of the Chemu Lagoon, and a 350-metre open unlined trapezoidal drain into the lagoon.

In addition, two concrete culverts spanning six metres will be constructed at Mamprobi crossing to Old Dansoman and environs, 10 solid waste containers, including 15 cubic-metre size skips for Chorkor and three toilets for Karikari and Gbegbese schools.

Again, there will be the construction of 14 kilometres of road and traffic management accessories, with 250 solar- powered street lights in the community, including four eight-32 metre concrete foot bridges at the mid-stream, near Zammrama Line Station, and at the end of the drain near Atoh Quarshie area, all located within the Ablekuma South Constituency of the Greater Accra Region.

Mr Baffour said he was in discussion with the ministries of Women and Children’s Affairs, Water Resources, Works and Housing, among others, to help reduce the impact of the exercise on the affected residents.