Military demolish structure

Accra (Greater Accra) 2nd June 99 -

The military has demolished a structure meant to be an amenity centre to serve troops and civilians working and living in the Cantonments area because the owner contravened the terms of the lease.

A statement signed by Lieutenant-Colonel J.H. Blood-Dzraku, Director of Public Relations of the Ghana Armed Forces, said a detachment of the 48 Engineer Regiment carried out the demolition on the authority of the Ghana Armed Forces.

It said the building, which was also to provide catering services for users of El Wak Stadium, stood on a plot of land belonging to the military adjacent to the Land Valuation Board offices along Giffard Road.

It said the land was leased by the Ghana Armed Forces to one Madam Dede Therson-Cofie, who was to develop it by putting up a temporary structure.

The statement said a few years ago, the Land Valuation Board made attempts to construct a high-rise block of offices on the land but was stopped by Ghana Civil Aviation Authority, because it was in the flight path of aircraft from the Kotoka International Airport.

"Over time, it came to the notice of the military authorities that the lessee, Madam Therson-Cofie, had constructed a structure whose nature was in contravention of the terms of the lease.

"The military, therefore, invoked a provision enshrined in the lease to retake possession of the land and authorised the demolition of the structure as a first step towards the repossession."

The statement said the land may now be reallocated to the Land Valuation Board for use by the government.