Old Fadama demolition: The military were there to enforce lockdown directive – Mayor

The military men spotted during the demolition exercise at Old Fadama were deployed for lockdown purposes, the Chief Executive Officer of Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has said.

According to Mohammed Adjei Sowah, the presence of the military in the area was to make sure people, especially traders within the enclave adhere to the partial lockdown directive given by the president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and not because of the demolition exercise.

Also, the military were there to decongest the place as most traders and slum dwellers do not adhere to the social distancing rule.

“The military had been positioned there for some time now as part of the lockdown arrangement, we decided to place the military along that stretch,” Mr Sowah said.

On Wednesday, April 15, there was a demolition exercise at Old Fadama aka Sodom and Gomorrah, a slum on the banks of the Korle Lagoon, to allow contractors dredge the lagoon.

The exercise which left over 200 people homeless has got many talking about it, including human rights advocate from Amnesty International.

Amnesty International noted that though it is illegal for the squatters to live there, the timing for the dredging exercise was inappropriate especially when the country is in a partial lockdown and everyone has to stay at home.