AMA gives encroachers 21 days to vacate Green Belt

Mohammed Adjei Sowah, the Chief Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), has said encroachers along the Green Belt at East Legon in Accra have 21 days to vacate the area.

He said if by June 7, 2017, they had still not vacated the area they would be ejected to pave way for the AMA to carry out a demolishing exercise.

Mr Adjei Sowah gave the ultimatum after visiting the area.

He said the East Legon Residents Association took the AMA to court in 2009 following the construction of unauthorised structures in the area.

Mr Sowah said the court ruled in favour of the residents and ordered the AMA, the Environmental Protection Agency, and the Nungua Stool Land Administration to pull down all structures along the Green Belt.

He said the AMA subsequently served notices to the illegal occupants on April 13, this year, to vacate the place but they had failed to do so, hence the ultimatum.

He said the illegal settlers had allocated to themselves portions of the reserved lands for public use which had retarded development. “It is regrettable that every available land space reserved for public benefit has been encroached which is impeding community and the nation’s development,” Mr Sowah said.

He said there were legislations on human settlements for clean, safe and pleasant environment and that the AMA would ensure that those laws were adhered to, to address the ever increasing indiscipline in the system.

Colonel (retd) Hendrie Toppear, the Vice-Chairman of the Residents Association, said: “Our next step is to advice all the residents not to pay property rates to the assembly should this last effort by the AMA to eject the encroachers fail.”