Tema, Feb 25, GNA - Workers of the Tema Metropolitan Office of the Information Service Department (ISD) have been compelled to stay at home because the landlady has locked their offices for non-payment of rent. The employees, numbering eight including two National Service personnel,=

have been at home for over one month now and are unsure when they will go=

back to work. The Department is responsible for the dissemination of information and education of residents in the Metropolis on government policies and programmes as well as sending feedback on the policies to government. A three-bedroom apartment being used by the Department was closed down about a year ago for renovation works and another office was rented for t= he Department. Information gathered by the Ghana News Agency showed that the new office=

was rented for about six months for GH¢3,300. After the expiration of the tenancy agreement in October 2009, the Department failed to pay additional rent. The landlady, who had cautioned authorities of the expiration of their tenancy, locked up the office about a month ago as no positive result cam= e out of the eviction warnings. The old building was closed down and expected to be pull down for the construction of a new office due to its dilapidated nature. The visibly weak building, which has never seen any major rehabilitatio= n since its construction some 50 years ago, can collapse on workers at any moment. Cracks are so wide that one can easily view happenings in the next room. Mr Lumbert Faabeluon, Deputy Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), confirmed to the GNA that his outfit warned employees in writing to vacate the premises. He said the warning was issued about 10 years ago when officials from th= e EPA visited the premises and assessed the situation. "That place is not fit for anybody to enter; doing so will be at one's o= wn risk", he said. Mr Kwaku Akportorsu, Tema Metropolitan Coordinating Director, confirmed receiving complaint from the officials of the Department on their accommodation. Mr Akportorsu said the Tema Metropolitan Assembly was considering accommodating the Department at its sub-metro office located at Tema Manhean. He said it would take some time before the Department could move in as T= MA was yet to advertise for invitation of tenders after which it would be evaluated before the contract would be awarded for the office to be partitioned.