Citizen urges AMA to reconsider demolition exercise

Accra, July 23, GNA - Alhaji Alhassan Abdulai, Executive Director of Eanfo World Ghana, on Monday appealed to the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to suspend its demolition exercise within the city. He said if the AMA continued with the exercise, it would lead to unpleasant increase in displacement of innocent families and households. In a statement to the AMA, Alhaji Abdulai appealed to the Assembly to give a grace period of 12 months during which it should sensitise and counsel the public on exercise.

During this period, landlords as well as tenants should be advised or assisted to acquire alternative accommodations before their structures are demolished.

"State agencies such as NADMO, the Department of Social Welfare, as well as non-governmental organisations, religious bodies could provide assistance to the affected persons there by mitigating the effect of the exercise on them," he added.

Alhaji Abdulai said state officials whose act of commission or omission contributed to violation of building regulations should either be surcharged with the cost of the demolishing or punished according to law.

He noted that community policing is good but people should be urged to be vigilant by reporting to the police all suspicious characters in the neighbourhood.