Winneba kiosk owners given one-month ultimatum to remove them

Winneba, Feb 9, GNA - The Awutu-Effutu-Effutu-Senya District Assembly has given one month ultimatum to owners of unauthorized structures and kiosks alongside principal streets in Winneba to remove them or face demolition.

Mr Solomon Kwashie Abbam-Quaye, District Chief Executive, gave the ultimatum at a public forum organized by the Assembly to sensitize the public, especially owners of such facilities at Winneba. He said the impending demolishing exercise was part of the beautification programme initiated by the Assembly to give the District capital a befitting facelift.

Mr Abbam-Quaye said areas where owners of the affected structures and kiosks erected their facilities were part of the government road reservation zone meant for expansion of utility projects such as water, electricity and telecommunication.

The DCE pointed out that the beautification programme was not meant or designed to intimidate the people who would be affected by the programme and warned politicians in the area not to politicize the exercise.

He said people who would wrongfully use the programme to disabuse the minds of the electorates against the ruling government would be doing so at the detriment of the development of Winneba.

Mr Abbam-Quaye attributed the inability of past political heads in the District and governments to implement this vital development programme to the lack of political will and courage.

The DCE described as most unfortunate that areas earmarked on the master plan for the development of Winneba had been sold by some government officials and citizens of the town to estate developers, adding that "as I am speaking now people have constructed houses on areas designed for the construction of access roads in the town. Mr Abbam-Quaye told the people that in spite of the enviable name the people of Effutu had carved for their Traditional set up, through certain cultural practices, particularly the age-old 93Aboakyir Festival", the long-standing chieftaincy and asafo companies' disputes in the area were severely drawing back the socio-economic progress of the town.

"This is the opportune time for the Effutu people to bury their differences, irrespective of their religious and political standings and come together to mobilize all available manpower and other resources within their reach to support efforts by the government to make Winneba one of the best tourist-friendly communities in the country". Mr Abbam-Quaye later outlined programmes designed for the celebration of Ghana's 50th Independence Anniversary next month.