The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has begun an exercise to remove containers and other illegal structures at Rawlings Park in the Central Business District (CBD) of Accra.

The exercise which began in the early hours of Tuesday, 27 April and supervised by officials of the Assembly and police personnel forms part of measures to sanitize the park to serve its purpose.

The Rawlings Park which is located in the heart of the CBD is one of the designated car parks in the city with a capacity of 320 bays.

Head of Public Affairs, Gilbert Nii Ankrah, who was at the park during exercise said adequate notice was served on the squatters adding that the Assembly made the structures as far back as February 2nd 2021 and had since followed up with a continuous announcement.

According to him, the last notice served on the squatters was on March 1st, 2021, and that apart from the eviction markings on the structures, the Assembly had engaged the squatters on several occasions.

He noted that the exercise had been necessary due to the congestion at the park stressing that illegal structures, some of which served as residential accommodation, shops as well as warehouses had occupied the entire area making it difficult for cars to park.

He urged all persons doing business or selling at unauthorized locations to move away from those areas to avoid forced eviction.

The exercise is expected to be extended to other parts of the city where unauthorized structures have sprung up.