Don’t erect structures at ‘Abuja market’ - Accra MCE cautions

The Metropolitan Chief Executive (MCE) of Accra, Elizabeth Naa Kwatsoe Tawiah Sackey, has directed slum dwellers at the Abuja Market on the railway line area close to the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange in Accra, not to erect any structures at the place but look for alternative sources of accommodation.

Her directive followed the fire outbreak on Sunday dawn which gutted the place and killed two persons (a male and female), displaced others, destroyed wooden structures worth hundreds of Ghana cedis, used as a dwelling place and commercial activities by the affected victims.

The MCE gave the directive when she visited the place yesterday with a team of personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), Electricity Company of Ghana and the Ghana Water Company.

She said it was not advisable for structures to be built under high tensions because of the hazards they posed to humanity, adding that more lives and properties could have been lost if the high tensions caught fire.

She disclosed that investigations were ongoing and pleaded with the dwellers not to engage in any activities

“We are asking you in all humility that we do not want to see any structure or any activity going on here until investigations are done and we get the results,” she added.

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Korle Klottey, Nii Adjei Tawiah, reiterated that high tensions were not places where buildings were put up.

“If these cables had come down the whole of Accra would have gone off. So it’s important we all understand that we don’t know how safe they are now. So we are cordoning off the place so that people will stay out of this area,” he added.

Mr Tawiah said his assembly shared boundaries with the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), saying that it was only proper for them to sympathize with the people who lived there.

Speaking with the media, a resident who gave his name only as Pascarro pleaded with the government “to do something” about the situation to help the dwellers.

He said they were very good citizens who had resided at the place for over six years and had nowhere to go for which reason, the government after its investigation should come to their aid.