Task force destroys unauthorised structures at Pokuase
More than 200 structures, including a brothel, have been reduced to rubble at Pokuase in the Ga West municipality in a clamp down on people building at unauthorised places and on land reserved for roads.
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Bulldozers cleared the structures at the Ayawaso Junction and along the ACP Estate-Kwabenya road, made up mainly of containers and kiosks, in an exercise which started last Tuesday.
Officials of the Ga West Municipal Assembly told the Daily Graphic that the move was to pave the way for the expansion of the Pokuase-Amasaman road in preparedness for the commencement of the urban transport project.
It was also to create more access routes in the area, noted for traffic build ups during the rush hour.
When the Daily Graphic team got to the area, an excavator was seen loading tipper trucks with the rubble that had piled up by the roadside.
While the affected people counted their losses, scavengers and scrap dealers were busily searching to salvage whatever they could sell from the rubble.
Mangled roofing sheets, iron rods and pieces of wood were collected.
More than 20 armed military men and policemen from the Regional Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team were on hand to provide security and also maintain law and order.
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Controversy over notice
Some of the victims of the demolition exercise claimed that they had earlier been told by the assembly that their structures would not be destroyed.
“If we had known that we were part, we would have removed our things,” Hajia Amina, a seamstress, said while salvaging what remained of her container.
However, responding to the claim, the Head of the task force, Mr Nicholas Rocky, said the assembly had given the affected owners of structures notice since October last year.
Indeed, some of the buildings had “Remove by 13-10-2014” written on them.
Additionally, notices posted around indicated that the property owners were given between July 22 and July 28, this year to remove their properties or they would be demolished.
Relocation of wood sellers
Mr Rocky said wood sellers in the municipality, especially those along the Achimota-Nsawam road, had been given a place at Adjen Kotoku to relocate to by the end of this year.
“This exercise will extend to Neoplan to bring sanity into the municipality and create more access routes,” he said.
Although some buildings close to pylons had been marked for demolition, they had not been affected by the exercise, with Mr Rocky explaining that their owners had been given time to produce their permits before any action would be taken because their structures were built before the pylons were erected a year ago.
There were, however, mixed reactions from the community. While some residents applauded the exercise, particularly the demolition of the brothel because it served as a den for criminals, others insisted that officials of the assembly were overzealous with the pulling down of people’s buildings.