AMA gives squatters along Tetteh Quarshie-Mallam road ultimatum to quit

Accra, Feb. 22, GNA -- Squatters along the Tetteh Quarshie-Apenkwa-Mallam road have been given up to Sunday, February 27, to quit or their unauthorised structures would be demolished.

Mr Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, Accra Mayor, who gave the ultimatum, said the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) would not allow any impediment on the progress of work.

"We are not here to take anybody's livelihood but development in the national interest is key. If we don't complete the project on schedule it would be a setback for the country", he said during an inspection tour of the project.

Accompanied by Mr Koranteng Yorke, Project Manager, Mr Vanderpuije said the AMA would clear all structures within the project area after the ultimatum to enable work to progress.

The 125-million-dollar project is being delayed due to activities of hawkers and people whose structures are in the way, have received compensation but failed to relocate.

So far, 3,000 out of the 11,000 affected people whose structures were affected have been compensated while others have received training and given support for resettlement.

Mr Yorke said activities of the squatters were impeding progress of work. He said the project which should have been 50 per cent complete stood at 30 per cent complete and noted that if government did not eject them it would have to finance the remaining portion when the project under MiDA end= s in February 2012. The 14-kilometre project is one of the key projects under the Transportation Project of the Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) Programme, funded by the United States.

The six-kilometre Tetteh-Quarshie Interchange to Apenkwa contract is being executed by China Railway Wuju Corporation while the eight-kilometre from Apenkwa to Mallam is being executed by MSF Contractors from Portugal. The project is a continuation of Phase II of the Accra-Tema Motorway, which was constructed about 43 years ago. Upgrading of the vital 14-kilometre road has been on the drawing board since the Accra-Tema Motorway was completed in the 1960s. The first-class, three lane dual carriageway when completed is expecte= d to alleviate the traffic congestion being experienced in that corridor. It will improve the turn around time from farmgate to the airport and Tema seaport, as well as make an immense impact on the national economy. In another development, Mr Vanderpuije stopped at Darkuma-Kokompe, a mechanic village, and directed the artisans to move to Anyaa another Accra suburb where Ga South Assembly had made a piece of land available. This is to ease traffic congestion on that road. At the Kwame Nkrumah Circle, the Mayor inspected progress of work towards the beautification of the capital and preparation for the 54th Independence anniversary.

He said AMA was considering the construction of a bridge at the main Circle traffic light for commuters to use and two monuments for the Millennium City Project would be mounted in the area. "AMA is committed to its mission to provide and maintain sanity in t= he City" he added.