The Accra Metropolitan Authority has justified its decision to demolish structures that have been built on waterways in the capital, Accra. According to the AMA, the move is necessary if the country is to effectively deal with the perennial flooding situation in the capital.

According to Public Relations Officer of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, Numo Blafo, the demolition exercise will pave the way for the ongoing dredging of the Odaw lagoon.

"If we don’t dredge the Odaw Lagoon, We cannot avert the perennial flooding. We cannot allow what happened at Circle on June 3 to happen again", he said.

He added that several structures that were put up by encroachers after the 2015 demolition exercise will be pulled down once the planned exercise takes off.

"We removed all those structures in 2015 and constructed a wall at Old Fadama to prevent the encroachers from resettling but they broke down the wall and resettled. We have marked these illegal structures that will be removed so yesterday’s statement was just a reminder".

Find below the full AMA statement

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) wishes to remind the general public especially all those who are putting up structures on government reserved lands such as along the Odaw River, Korle Lagoon, Old Fadama, the East Legon Green Belt, Mensah Guinea, Railway Station (around circle VIP Terminal), the stretch from Avenor to the Sikkens Bridge, Agbogloshie ,Glefe and Chemunaa where structures were removed last year and left fallow to enhance the ongoing dredging project to remove them immediately.

Furthermore, hawkers who have turned footbridges and the under-pass of over-head bridges into trading points are to stop these activities now. All those who are selling on pavements and roads in the Metropolis are being reminded that their activities are contrary to AMA Street Hawking bye-laws 2011.

While those hawking in the middle of the road are breaking the above mentioned bye-laws as well as the Road Traffic (Amendment) Act, 2008(Act 761) Section 29(2).

All are again being reminded that it is an offence to dispose of refuse, especially e-waste in water ways.
In addition, the unauthorized parking of vehicles on pavements and roads especially by mechanical shops and car garage owners are to desist from such practices and remove all vehicles either on repairs or abandoned from the shoulders of roads. AMA officials will clamp and tow such vehicles and surcharge the offenders for the cost of removal.

Finally, removal of such structures shall commence from WEDNESDAY MARCH 22, 2017 and they should know that constructing without permit is an offence punishable by law.