AMA gives ultimatum on govt lands to quit

Mr. Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah, the Metropolitan Executive of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), who gave the warning yesterday during an inspection exercise at La Bawaleshie, East Legon, asked the encroachers to leave the area within three weeks or face ejection.

Three weeks ago, the assembly asked the occupants on the land to remove all illegal structures, but the directive was flouted, compelling the issuance of another three week ultimatum.

The AMA boss, accompanied by officials of the assembly warned that his outfit would demolish the structures and surcharge the owners if the order was not complied with by June 7, 2017.

The team pulled down fenced walls, seized equipment including wheel barrows and shovels, and stopped ongoing construction work on the land.

Some of the encroachers told The Ghanaian Times they obtained building permits from municipalities outside the AMA’s jurisdiction.

 

Meanwhile, heads of two structures, East Legon Executive Fitness Club commissioned by two former presidents, John Dramani Mahama and John Agyekum Kufour and a district police station have been asked to regularise documents of the edifice with the AMA before the expiration of the ultimatum.

Mr. Sowah said those who did not heed the warning might also be cited for contempt of court, adding that the assembly, aside ensuring sanity and compliance of bye-laws, was also enforcing a high court judgment delivered in 2009.

Elexra, an association of East Legon residents took the AMA, the Lands Commission, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Nungua Stool to court for allowing the said activity to persist on the piece of land preserved for green vegetation.

Mr. Sowah said the land would be used for expansion of road network in future and added that those who invested in putting up structures, does so at their own risk.

By Malik Sullemana

 

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