By Prince Acquah/Isaac Arkoh, GNA
Cape Coast, Feb 05, GNA – The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) has commenced the demolition of structures at the Duakor, Abakam and Ahiabobor communities in Cape Coast to pave the way for road dualisation project under government’s big push policy.
The exercise effectively brings an end to the about a century-old Voltarian settlement along the Cape Coast – Takoradi highway, displacing scores of residents, including women, children and the disabled, and affecting their livelihoods.
The exercise, which started on Monday, February 02, demolished dozens of makeshift structures along the stretch, providing a window for residents in permanent structures to vacate before they were pulled down.
The demolition was preceded by series of engagements with residents by officers of GHA, NADMO, and the Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly led by the MCE, Mr George Justice Arthur, from last year.
For that reason, the exercise carried out on Monday and Tuesday was done peacefully without any physical confrontations or pushback from the people, the Ghana News Agency (GNA) observed.
That notwithstanding, some affected residents who spoke with the GNA during the exercise expressed some concerns and requested certain reliefs from government.
They acknowledged that they were residing along the stretch without permits but maintained that they had lived there long enough to deserve some compensation.
An affected resident, Mr Francis Fiotorfor, appealed to the government for GHC50,000 to GHC100,000 in compensations per household to rebuild their houses and restart their lives at different locations.
Another resident, Mr Koku Avedzi appealed to authorities to relocate them to the banks of the Iture Lagoon, some few meters away from the highway.
Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Dawood Mensah, the Central Regional Director of NADMO, who was at the site to monitor the exercise with his team, sympathised with the victims but indicated that it was a necessary government project.
“Though it is a worrisome situation, the residents appreciate the project and the need to move away from the stretch because most of the buildings are within the catchment area of the road per the Ghana Highway Authority demarcations,” he said.
As citizens, he said there was the need for NADMO to go to their aid in that situation to mitigate their plights, calling for resettlement packages for the displaced people.
“Most of the structures that are being demolished are permanent residences of people most of whom have families and businesses.
“We need to come in strongly to liaise with the assembly member and opinion leaders to identify those who need to be considered for temporary housing,” he stressed.
Mr Mensah noted that the Cape Coast North office of NADMO had already designated some safe havens, including churches and schools, where the affected residents would reside temporarily until they found a permanent place to stay.
“We at NADMO Central will continue to engage the leadership and the residents and our superiors in Accra and the Regional Coordinating Council to find better ways of handling the internal displacement issues; probably resettlement,” he assured.
He said NADMO would monitor the affected people closely until they were fully catered for.
The NADMO boss was, however, quick to reject a request to relocate the residents to the banks of the lagoon, insisting that it was a buffer zone where permanent structures could not be mounted.
He commended the residents for their “peaceful cooperation” with GHA and the engineers undertaking exercise.
GNA
Edited by Alice Tettey/George-Ramsey Benamba