On My Radar: Mr Vanderpuye’s film show at ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’
The demolition of the parts of Old Fadama aka ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’ again demonstrates the government’s propensity for the dramatic. Coming on the heels of the devastating Accra floods of June 3, the ongoing demolition exercise is nothing more than a kneejerk activity by the leadership of Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
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The objective of the AMA is to gain some sort of legitimacy in the eyes of the public, which its leaders hope will help them keep their jobs.
This ruthless strategy of spontaneous demolition of structures each time a major disaster occurs in Accra is an indication that the AMA boss, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuye, has no plan for the city. It is a case of monumental cluelessness.
Mr Vanderpuye has never been pro-active. He will not ensure that drains and gutters are de-silted, for instance. He is always reacting to events.
He reacted to the collapse of the Melcom Achimota branch building – which killed nine people and injured 81 – by demolishing buildings he said did not have permits. That exercise lasted only a few days. In what demonstrates his obsession with theatre, Mr Vanderpuye organised a press conference , where, in front of television cameras, he got the police to arrest one of his subordinates, whom he said had taken bribes and allowed buildings without permits to be put up.
The AMA reacted to Agblogboshie market fire by razing down the whole place with bulldozers.
Now that their ineptitude and lack of foresight has contributed to the death of about 160 Ghanaians in the June 3 twin disaster, Mr Vanderpuye and the AMA are embarking on another demolition exercise. The latest AMA exercise is certain to go on for perhaps a few weeks before the bulldozers are sent rolling back into their garages, only to reappear after another major disaster – after lives have been lost.
There is hardly anything wrong with demolishing illegal structures once due process has been followed. But it is regressive and irresponsible to resort to that only after major disasters have occurred, just so that the public sees that you are working.
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Some have argued that Mr Vanderpuye is not being given a free hand to work by the government. If that is the case, where does the authority to demolish structures after disasters occur come from?
In countries where governments respect and value the opinion of the citizenry, the current AMA leadership would have been disposed of in favour of a pro-active, pragmatic and forward-looking one.
But this is where we find ourselves – a country plagued by inept, insane, gangster leadership.
Conclusion
Although I suspect that the AMA’s latest adventure at ‘Sodom and Gomorrah’ is another film show that will last just a few days, we must eventually get rid of the Old Fadama slum because of the inhuman conditions that prevail there. However, the government has an inescapable responsibility to resettle its inhabitants. . The residents of Old Fadama are Ghanaians who ought to be treated with dignity and respect.
As Nana Ama Agyemang Asante of Accra-based Citi FM notes, any demolition there and anywhere else must be done with a ‘human face’.
Nana Ama puts it succinctly on Facebook: “We cannot have this conversation about the Old Fadama and Agbogloshie demolitions and evictions without empathy and nuance. While praising the AMA for the Old Fadama demolition and eviction, please remember Ghana has a 1.7 million housing deficit.
“How will the residents pay their rent? Then think about how even with your regular job, you still struggle to pay your rent. Just think about the residents of Old Fadama. It's not simple. They won't live in such conditions if they could afford cleaner and safe places. They are poor. It is wrong for city evict them without alternative resettlement plan.”
Ghanaians are reputed to be hospitable. We have spent tens of millions of cedis in admitting and resettling victims of war in the sub-region. We have donated huge sums to disaster-stricken countries. It will be foolish to watch unconcerned as our citizens become refugees in their own country. And that is exactly what will happen if the folks at Old Fadama are not resettled or given some sort of support after the government demolishes their homes.
The national cake is not meant for politicians and their cronies only. For once, let it trickle down to residents of Old Fadama. It is the least this government can do. Charity begins at home.