Over two hundred residents of East-Legon in Accra have threatened to demonstrate against city authorities if they fail to pull down an illegal structure built by a retired Supreme Court Judge, Dr Seth Twum.
Dr Twumis being accused of building his house 25 metres inside a road, thereby making it difficult for other residents of the area to use the route. The house in question is located opposite the Power Temple of International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) on 3-4 Akuetey Street, American House near East Legon's largest shopping centre, A & C Mall.
The angry residents claimed their checks from the city authorities confirmed that the retired Supreme Court Judge did not even have the proper permits for the construction of the house into the road.
"We are living in a hell here because of one retired Supreme Court judge who has built his house into a road to the extent that even two vehicles cannot park by the road side," John Siriboe, a resident of the area, told The Independent, adding that over 200 house owners in the area would soon embark on a strong demonstration to register their protest.
Mr Siriboe wondered why a Supreme Court Judge, who should know better, has rather built into a road, making it difficult for other residents in the area to use the road.
"Everybody is afraid of him because he is a judge but it is about time we taught him a lesson," he noted.
Contributing, Cecilia Hudson, another house owner in the area, told The Independent that "when Dr Twum started putting up his building, we told him to push the wall back inside because he was encroaching on the road but he ignored us because he was a Supreme Court Judge."
The residents said they have decided not to petition the court because they believe Justice Twum would suppress the system.
"AMA and other city authorities in Accra such as Adentan Municipal Assembly are going about demolishing illegal structures but they are afraid of pulling down Dr Twum's house because of his status," Sampson Odoi-Mensah, another resident of the area fumed.
He warned: "It’s time to deal with these so-called'big men.' They have been given privileges but they should know that the privileges are not meant to be abused as they create more difficulties for the countrybut it is meant to solve problems,” he added.
He continued: "If we have to pull down illegal structures in Ghana,then let’s do so across board including those in East Legon, Airport, Cantonments, Lashibi, Ridge, etc,… ,” he said, adding that"if the city authorities fail to demolish the building after the demonstration, we shall demolish it ourselves."
Efforts to speak to any official from the Adentan Municipal Assembly proved futile as no one was willing to speak on the matter.
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