Assembly to demolish structures near Lake Bosomtwe
Illegal buildings and other structures along the shores of Lake Bosomtwe will be demolished with effect from next month.
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The decision of the Bosomtwe District Assembly follows encroachment on the shores of the natural lake by private estate developers and business owners.
The District Chief Executive for Bosomtwe, Madam Veronica Antwi-Adjei, who made this known, said the assembly was not going to allow developers to go against the assembly’s bye-laws by building recklessly on the lake , which is a tourism site and in the event make the lake less attractive.
The DCE disclosed this to the Daily Graphic at Obbu, a community near the lake, after she had inspected a building that was being constructed illegally close to the lake.
The building, a three bedroom apartment currently at the lintel level, is about thirty metres away from the lake and sits on an acre of swampy land at Obbu.
Bye-laws
According to the DCE, the bye-laws of the assembly stipulate that buildings and other structures must be sited 60 meters away from the shores of the lake.
However, some estate developers have paid little regard to the directive and continued to build in spite of the negative impact their projects could have on the lake.
Currently, there are about 22 communities dotted along the shores of the Lake, many of them sited illegally.
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Among the illegal structures that have been put up are rental accommodation for revellers who visit the lake and entertainment centres.
Warning
Madam Antwi-Adjei was not happy that some traditional authorities allegedly connived with estate developers to perpetuate the act. She warned that anyone caught acting illegally or going against the assembly’s bye-laws would be prosecuted.
Obaapanin Abenaa Gyamfuah, the Queenmother of Obbu, confessed that she gave a piece of land to a developer who had pledged to support the education of a number of children in the community.
She said she received 75 sheep and other items in exchange for the land. In addition, she said the estate developer gave each schoolage child GH¢1 for school every day. She said there were other developers from whom she had received money and donations in exchange for land.
She apologised and pledged to have a review of the lands in question so that there would be lasting peace.
Ignorance
According to Obaapanin Gyamfuah, she was ignorant of the laws regarding the security of the lake and its ecosystem and promised not to repeat her mistakes.