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Over 2,000 families in Gbawe Gonse, located within the Weija Gbawe Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, are bracing themselves for eviction, graphic.com.gh reports.
This is a consequence of a demolition order recently issued by the Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL).
On Monday, October 9, 2023, numerous houses were marked with red paint inscriptions bearing the ominous words "to be demolished by GWCL," accompanied by the date, October 9, 2023.
The markings were executed by individuals in civilian attire, presumed to be from the Weija Gbawe Municipal Assembly and GWCL, all under the watchful eye of armed personnel clad in military uniforms.
Upon visiting the area on Tuesday, October 10, it became apparent that some of the buildings, situated more than 600 meters from the river, along with those on a nearby hill, had been marked for demolition.
Mr. Asare, a resident who has called Gbawe Gonse home for the past three decades, expressed deep concerns; "the marking was done on October 9, 2023, and that was the date they wrote on all the buildings.
This has left most of us confused because it doesn't state when the demolition would be done or give us a grace period to evacuate our buildings."
Notably, Mr. Asare also serves as a government appointee to the Weija Gbawe Municipal Assembly.
For residents and homeowners in the affected areas, including Agape Down, Agape Royal, and Ablekuma Joma, the prospect of their over 500 houses being demolished without compensation or a resettlement plan has instilled fear and uncertainty.
This move comes on the heels of a similar demolition in the nearby Joma community just a fortnight ago, during which no prior notice or compensation was extended to the victims.
The pending demolition marks the second occurrence in 12 years in the same locality by GWCL.
The initial demolition in December 2011 resulted in the destruction of more than 500 completed and uncompleted houses, rendering over 2,000 people homeless and tragically leading to the death of a pregnant woman.
During the first demolition, the GWCL cited encroachment on the buffer zone of the Densu River, which supplies the Weija Dam with crucial potable water for thousands of residents in central and western parts of Accra, as the primary reason for the action.
However, in this latest round, no reasons have been provided, and most of the marked houses are notably distant from the river's buffer zone.
The affected residents are now grappling with the uncertainty of their fate. Agatha Ofori, whose one-story building has been marked for demolition, shared her emotional turmoil; "I cannot sleep. It has not been easy for us." She also pondered the practicality of evacuating their homes given the high costs of land and building materials, as well as the lack of clear alternatives.
Residents and homeowners appealed to the government for intervention and expressed bewilderment at the lack of action from various government agencies, such as the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Land Commission, Weija Gbawe Municipal Assembly, Forestry Commission, Ministry of Works and Housing, and GWCL. They questioned how these agencies allowed individuals to sell and construct on the land following the initial demolition over a decade ago.
The residents further emphasized that the GWCL's planned demolition appeared to have bypassed an existing injunction against any demolition in the area.
When the Daily Graphic contacted Stanley Martey, the Head of Communications for GWCL, he stated that he couldn't comment on the issue and that the company was unaware of the impending demolition exercise.
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