Govt urged to return unused land

Accra, April 2, GNA - Professor Mike Oquaye, Member of Parliament for Domi-Kwabenya, on Saturday asked the Government to return the land opposite the Kwabenya Electricity Office to the rightful owners since the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission could no longer make use of it.

He said it had been agreed at several meetings at the governmental level that the land be released to the rightful owners to avoid further encroachment and possible resale. Prof Oquaye was speaking to journalists during a four-hour cleanup exercise organized by the Ga East District Assembly (GEDA) at Ashongman cemetary area where part of the cemetery had been converted into refuse dump.

He also reminded the Government to release the part payment of the large tracts of land acquired by the Commission several years ago. He said Ashongman had been one of the oldest towns belonging to land owners at Kwabenya and promised to push pressure on Government to pay the necessary compensation into the Ashongman Development Fund. The clean-up exercise saw the sweeping of the township, weeding of the cemetery and the collection of heaped refuse dump. Meanwhile, an arrangement had been made for a huge container to be placed at the Ashongman refuse dump.

Similar clean-up exercises were conducted at the Taifa Market and this was done by the market women and neighbours. They de-silted gutters along the main street.

At the Taifa Market, Prof Oquaye said, he was going to arrange with the Assembly to provide a refuse container in the area. It would be recalled that the Regional Minister of Greater-Accra, Nii Armah Ashitey initiated such clean-up exercise in the region to reduce filth in the city of Accra.