KB Asante: Voice From Afar column

Perhaps I do not understand democracy. I see buildings shooting up anyhow in Accra without regard to the rights and convenience of the people next door and the general public and I get upset. “Surely in a democratic society, people should be free to do as they like to their plots of land”! I hear comments about my complaints. “Surely it is only dictatorship which denies the individual freedom to do as he or she pleases”! The comments continue. I hope I am not the only one who believes that the rule of law and adherence to regulations make democracy meaningful and desirable.

I hope I am not too old-fashioned to believe that there should be rules and regulations to guide the building of houses and offices. These rules should involve the safety of structures, the rights and convenience of neighbours and the public and enhance the beauty of the surroundings. I am worried when I see buildings springing up anyhow in Accra. The other day, I saw unsightly extensions being made along

Osu R.E. is already congested. The new building will bring more vehicles on the road. I raised the congestion which a shop will bring to the road and a friend said that there would be a car park under the shop. I suggested that the car park was likely to cater for only the staff to the mall, moreover the mall would attract more visitors to the roads.

But apart from road congestion, there are other facilities which should be considered. Will electricity and water supplies be adequate, especially for dwelling houses or flats built? And are toilet facilities available? I often see even the young exposing themselves indecently on our roads. For the elderly, inadequate toilet facilities can be most embarrassing.

Now to my question: Can one build anyhow in Accra and add a few floors to existing buildings? In the past, before you built you got a permit. You submitted your plans and you might have to modify them in accordance with the rules and regulations. Sometimes building is refused on a particular site. You could not also build up to ten or twelve floors as you like. There was a plan for the area and you had to conform.

I am informed most people consider these rules unnecessary infringement on freedom and democracy. Therefore they freely pay a bribe and proceed to exercise the right to do as they please in their God-given land. I feel sad when I remember meetings convened by President Nkrumah to expatiate on the building of a ring road around Accra to facilitate movement. Satellite suburbs such as Labone would be built with suitable amenities to avoid constant movement to the centre.

Shangri-La was mentioned and the ideas of Le Corbusier discussed. I am not an artist and my sense of beauty is rudimentary. But Spio-Garbrah and Meyerowitz taught me art at Achimota and my classmate Kofi Antubam helped to open my eyes to what is beautiful. Surely those who had better sense of beauty should speak against the despoliation of Accra.

I was reading the autobiography of my prefect and senior at Achimota, Dr Evans Anfom. It is inspiring to read about these great patriots now and again. He reminded me that Accra is in an earthquake zone.

There was an earthquake in 1939. Can we survive a minor earthquake today? Would our buildings stand or crumble? And are there parks to run to for shelter?

The risks of indiscipline in building and town-planning are great. We must speak out. The lives of the innocent are at stake. Those in authority must do their job or quit.