Chorkor residents back demolition for upgrading

Accra, Nov. 3, GNA - Residents of Chorkor Chemuna, a suburb of Accra, have given their full support to a demolition exercise which started on Tuesday to pave way for the Mamponse Community Upgrading and Chemu Storm Drainage Project.

Some affected people had vacated their premises to stay with other relatives while others have found other alternatives to allow for the smooth running of the exercise.

Though there was no confrontation from residents when the exercise got under way, the police were there to ensure that the Accra Metropolitan Assembly's (AMA) mission was accomplished. Residents say though it was a heart breaking exercise the motive was good and intended to benefit them and put a stop to the perennial flooding of their homes during raining seasons.

Leslie Commodore, a resident, told the Ghana News Agency that the idea to start the project was a step in the right direction though his heart went out for affected people taking into consideration the cost of their houses. Auntie Akweley, another resident, also noted: "My sister, it is painful to see some houses razed down but imagine what would happen if there was a fire outbreak in this area. It would be difficult for the Fire Service to have access to quench the fire."

Atta Quaye, whose house has been demolished, told the GNA that his toils over the years to build a house to live in have been in vain. He added that because they had been notified he vacated his premises before the beginning of the exercise and had moved to his family house in the area. The Metropolitan Chief Executive of Accra, Dr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, told the GNA that the 8.3 million-Euro project was expected to end the perennial flooding, improve sanitation and open up the community for business development to improve living conditions of the people. He said the Second Urban Environmental Sanitation Initiative took off on October 21 when President John Evans Atta Mills cut the sod for the facility to be executed within two years.

The project, solely financed by the French government, involves the construction of 275 metres of concrete-closed rectangular drains, 2,325 metres of concrete trapezoidal drains, including inlets from main tributaries of the Chemu Lagoon and a 350-metre open unlined trapezoidal drain into the Lagoon.

It also includes the upgrading of the water supply system for Mamponse, which covers seven kilometres of water distribution ancillaries as well as 28 kilometres of U-Type drains along the roads and outlets to the lagoon. In addition, two concrete culverts spanning six metres will be constructed at Mamprobi crossing to Old Dansoman and environs, 10 solid waste containers including 15 cubic-metre size skips for Chorkor and three toilets for Karikari and Gbegbese schools.

Again, there will be construction of 14 kilometres of road and traffic management accessories with 250 solar powered street lights in the community, including four 8-32 metre concrete foot bridges at the mid-stream, near Zammrama Line Station, and at the end of the drain near Ato Quarshie area, all communities in the Ablekuma South Constituency of the Greater Accra Region.

Dr Vanderpuije said about 100 structures on waterways would be demolished from Chemuna through to Sakaman adding that the necessary requirements had been met and residents duly notified. He reminded residents and business people to regularise all construction works and make sure that they were covered by permit to avoid demolition. Dr Vanderpuije added that those who had encroached on areas earmarked for schools, roads and other national projects would be demolished. "All illegal structures such as kiosks and containers on pavements that have been marked for demolition would not be spared," he said, and urged affected persons to move their structures before they were demolished. 3 Nov. 09