Youth Tells Gov't To Consult Area Leaders Or No 'Villagio' At Nima-Mamobi

A group calling itself East and North Ayawaso Youth for Development has vowed to resist any attempt by government to transform Nima and Maamobi into supposed modern urban communities.

The youth said they will not back down on their plan until government properly engages stakeholders in the communities on the project.

According to the group, key stakeholders, including their Members of Parliament and Imams have not been informed or engaged in meetings concerning the project that seeks to redevelop the area.

The convener for the group, Nazir Iddris in a Citi News interview said the Works and Housing Minister must consult their community leaders on the proposal.

“Before any development takes place, there are some processes that must take place and this includes consultation with stakeholders. We also want to know who the contractors are and what the terms involved in that development. There should have been a committee with the youth and Imams involved. We see this as one of the sloganeering things they want to do. We will resist any attempt to demolish any house without the due process,” he said.

The Housing Minister, Samuel Atta Akyea on Tuesday reiterated government's commitment to transform Nima, an informal settlement, into world-class communities with excellent amenities amidst concerns that the move is an attempt to evict residents.

But Member of Parliament for Ayawaso North, Yussif Issaka Jajah has said that the government has not provided him and all other relevant stakeholders with the necessary information about the redevelopment project.

He said despite the enormous benefits the move will give to residents, government's failure to communicate and give full disclosure on the project to those who matter is extremely worrying.

“As the MP for the area, I have never heard of this until the last time the President came to give his state of the nation's address. I thought after all the debate on the state of the nation's address; this thing will come before us as stakeholders of this project. Till now, I don't know anything about it. I don't know how they are going about it, the timelines and whether they have engaged the landlords – I am not aware of it as an MP,” Mr. Jajah said on Eyewitness News.

The Assembly Member of the Nima West Electoral Area, Omaru Sanda Mohammed also told Citi News that he has not been informed about the project.

He, therefore, called on the government to outline the terms and conditions for the project with the people at the centre of the plan.

---citinewsroom