NPP behind Sodom and Gomorrah chaotic demonstration - Vanderpuye

Enoch Darfah Frimpong Jun - 22 - 2015 , 16:14

Deputy of Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Nii Lante Vanderpuye has accused the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) of deliberately fueling Monday morning’s demonstration organised by victims of the demolition exercise at Old Fadama, otherwise called Sodom and Gomorrah in Accra.

He said the NPP was trying to take an unnecessary political advantage of the situation, hence they organised placards and T-shirts for the youth to hit the streets and cause mayhem, all in the name of winning political points.

In an interview on Accra based Asempa FM, Nii Vanderpuye said the newly elected Odododiodio NPP parliamentary candidate Nii Lantey Bannerman, supplied the demonstrators with the T-shirts and placards and instigated them to hit the streets as an attempt to win their sympathy.

Residents of Old Fadama, popularly referred to as “Sodom and Gomorrah” Monday morning hit the streets to demonstrate against the demolition exercise which has rendered them homeless. The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) demolished the homes on Saturday in a bid to prevent floods.

Bulldozers last Saturday began the exercise to raze down hundreds of homes in the slum so that the authorities can start widening the Korle lagoon to help prevent a repeat of the June 3 deadly floods which claimed 159 lives.

The angry youth who demanded for compensation and asked the authorities to relocate them after their houses were destroyed hit the streets in spontaneous reaction.

Commenting on the development, the Deputy Minister who doubles as the Member of Parliament for the area said it was shameful for some politicians to try to take advantage of situations like what has happened at Old Fadama to engage in politicking.

He said the T-shirts and placards the youth held on Monday morning was organised by the NPP and wondered how the youth would have gotten the T-shirts if it was not organised for them.

“This is not political. I’m ashamed of what NPP has done today in Accra. I’m totally ashamed.”

He advised the NPP not to go on that tangent and rather should engage in mature politics and desist from complaining that their party office had been destroyed in the exercise.

He said the authorities have initiated moves on how best to assist the victims with regards to how to re-settle those whose homes have been affect as well as assist those who want vehicles to be put at their disposal to enable them travel back to their hometowns.

Others, especially those whose homes have not been destroyed also want to be assisted on how utilities can be restored to their homes as the demolition exercise has interrupted the supply of utlitities to their homes.

Listen to Nii Lante Vanderpuiye speaking on Asempa FM with KABA

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