East Legon, now known for its luxury homes and upscale restaurants, was once a sand-winning site dotted with vegetable farms, according to 86-year-old retired town planner Justina Ruby Anipa.

Speaking in an interview with veteran broadcaster Kafui Dey on YouTube, Anipa took viewers back to a time when the suburb was far from glamorous.

“Before East Legon was planned, it was mainly open land used for sand winning. There were also plenty of vegetable farms, as people grew food there,” she said.

“We first planned East Legon by relocating the sand winners so we could carry out our work. The land was originally owned by the La people before it was acquired by the Jerry John Rawlings government for residential development and government housing,” Justina Anipa said.

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She added that the original landowners were compensated by the government, though some had spent the money and disputes over East Legon land still persist today.

Anipa explained that East Legon was initially intended to be a residential area. Reflecting on the neighbourhood today, she lamented that regulatory authorities and overlapping jurisdictions among agencies over the years have altered the area’s character, making it less residential than originally planned.

She also spoke about Madina, a neighbouring community to East Legon.

Anipa recounted that it was well-planned in a neat grid layout and originally appeared beautiful. However, due to rural-urban migration and a growing population, the area no longer reflects the original design intentions.

The 86-year-old, who played a vital role in Ghana’s post-independence town planning, emphasised that the transformation of East Legon was part of deliberate urban expansion policies aimed at decongesting Accra and creating well-laid-out residential areas.

Watch the video below



MA