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General News of Wednesday, 29 November 2000

Source: GNA

We will leave lorry station by December 4, if...

Drivers at Odawna lorry park which is under renovation on Tuesday threatened to leave the temporary station behind the New Times Corporation by December 4, whether work on the park has been completed or not.

"If the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) fails to release funds for the project, then we will move back to the site, even if the work has not been completed. "We are not prepared to spend Christmas holidays here," Mr William Oppong Addo, Chairman of Odawna local union of GPRTU, said.

Speaking to the GNA he said the Nii Ankrah family, owners of the land, have sued the union for using their land.

Mr Addo, flanked by some union executives said the recent rain has also rendered parts of the park, un-motorable.

"We pay about 100,000 cedis as electricity bills every two weeks, this is quite unbearable".

Mr Addo said the renovation of the Odawna park which began on October 2, is scheduled to be completed by December 2. However it is still in its first phase and no work is going on.

The executive said they believe the AMA has not released money to the contractor to continue work.

"We are therefore appealing to the AMA to release funds as soon as possible to enable the contractor to complete the project."

Mr Addo said the union and the drivers have lost substantial revenue in the past two months since most of the passengers are unwilling to walk to the new station to board vehicles.

Work at the Odawna site has come to a standstill and hawkers have virtually taken over the place, littered with refuse.

Mr Addo appealed to the AMA task force not to allow hawkers to use the place as this may hamper the work of the contractor.

There was no AMA official to comment.