The Ga Traditional Council (GTC) has commended Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive for his bold move in demolishing the illegal structures at Mensah Guinea, a slum in Accra.

They also asked the Accra Mayor to defy the numerous protests by the squatters at the slum and complete the demolition, to maintain a clean environment following the outbreaks of cholera in the area.

Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI, Paramount Chief of Osu and spokesperson for the chiefs, who visited the Mensah Guinea area, said the development of slums in Accra has contributed significantly to the insanitary nature of some parts of the metropolis.

Other chiefs among the traditional entourage were from Ngleshie, Gbese and Otublohum traditional area

He called on the Accra Mayor to reject the calls for the settling of the squatters, saying: “Nobody asked them to be there and therefore their continued stay there was illegal.”

Nii Kinka Dowuona charged the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to create an enabling environment to ensure enforcement and compliance of the environmental laws.

“Having stringent laws on activities of squatters in Accra is long overdue as lot of people have fallen victim to the social miscreants, adding that, there was the need to protect the lives and property of law-abiding citizens,” he stressed.

Dr Vanderpuije said the Mensah Guinea slum had become a hideout for criminals, who attacked innocent citizens in the night, especially, the snatching of bags from women and the threat of death.

He said section 49 of the Local Government Act (Act 642) grants the AMA statutory mandate to ensure that: “No physical development shall be carried out in the district without prior approval in the form of written permit granted by the planning officer.”

The Accra Mayor said by this provision, the AMA would like to sound a strong caution to all developers that it was an offence to undertake any construction within the metropolis without obtaining a permit from the Assembly.

“The Assembly will carry its statutory mandate of ensuring that rules and regulations regarding constructional developments within the metropolis are obeyed,” he said.