Old Fadama Residents Call On Akufo-Addo To Stop Accra Mayor From The Demolition Exercise Today

The leadership of the residents of Old Fadama is calling on the President Akufo-Addo to halt the planned demolition exercise in the area scheduled for today, Monday, April 13.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has planned to embark on a demolition exercise tomorrow in communities close to the Korle Lagoon. Initially, the residents were asked to evacuate from both lanes for a demolition that will give way for AMA to dredge the Korle lagoon.

Speaking to Modernghana News on Sunday, a leader of one of the affected communities Mr. Abdul Basit Yakubu said they received a notice indicating that the AMA would need more space and therefore would be demolishing more structures. to enable it dredge the Korle Lagoon.

While confirming the arrival of the excavators and other heavy duty machines meant for the exercise today Monday, Mr. Yakubu argued that the excuse given by AMA is just a coy. He added that there are other alternative ways the AMA can deploy to embark on the dredging of the lagoon without demolishing any structure.

A statement from the leadership of the affected communities is appealing to the government to intervene in order not to create a homeless situation for the residents in the area especially in these covid-19 times where Ghanaians are being encouraged to stay indoors as part of efforts to help government stem the spread of the pandemic in the country.

“We wish to call on President Akufo-Addo to intercede on our behalf and talk to the mayor of Accra to put a human face to the demolition exercise they are going to embark on here at Old Fadama”, a statement signed by Mr. Abu Nyaba, Secretary for the leadership of Old Fadama has said.

Read the full statement below:

Good morning our good friends from the media, ladies, and gentlemen.

We extend our well wishes to the people of Ghana and the world at large in this trying moment of the Covid-19 pandemic. As we continue to observe and urge other people to also observe the social distancing and other safety protocols, we pray for the Almighty Allah to heal the world of the novel Corona virus. Aameen.

Directly related to the issues of Covid-19, we wish to call on the president of the republic, Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo to intercede on our behalf and talk to the mayor of Accra to put a human face on the demolition exercise they are going to embark on here at Old Fadama. Members of the media, ladies and gentlemen, we are very peaceful and law-abiding citizens that. We do not intend to cause any chaos or pandemonium that will worsen our already bad situation occasioned by Covid-19 pandemic. The fact of the matter is that we are in a lockdown state that no one is expected to stay outside or be loitering about. The question therefore is that, in case the scheduled demolition exercise is to come on, where are these people going to stay? They will be forced break the lockdown orders or break the social distancing protocols. Is that what we are interested in as a country in these trying times of Covid-19. Definitely not.

Ladies and gentlemen, we are, therefore, pleading with the government to come to our aid and stop this demolition exercise in order to save these innocent citizens from any untold frustrations and hardships it will bring.

We believe that, there is an alternative in every situation. We also believe that, the contractor can still work with his team to evacuate the waste to a dumping site without demolishing any of the structures.

We hope the president of the republic would listen to our cry and come to aid.

Thank you all for coming.

May God bless us all.

Mr. Abu Nyaba,

Secretary for the leadership of Old Fadama.