The demolition exercise that took place at the CMB area in Accra, on Sunday 4th February 2018, has left hundreds of squatters and traders stranded with all their structures destroyed.
The squatters and traders are calling on government to come to their aid since they have nowhere to go and their means of livelihood; the kiosks in which they live or sell their goods have now been demolished.
The Ghana Railways Development Authority on Sunday dawn demolished unauthorized structures at the CMB area within the Central business district in Accra. The move was to pave way for the private commercial development of the area.
According to the Chief Executive Officer of the GRDA, Richard Dombo, a prior notice was given to the encroachers, informing them that, a task force would be dispatched to the area to demolish all unauthorized structures.
He added that they were duly informed ahead of the demolition that there will be no other warning notice after the month of January 2018, when the evacuation exercise was scheduled to take place.
On visiting the scene, Monday, PrimeNewsGhana observed that several structures had been pulled down and the mood was that of despair and dejection as most of the traders were seen counting their losses.
Some residents, however, revealed that they were not aware that the demolition exercise would affect them directly. Although some admitted they were notified but could not move as they had no other place to go, others claimed they were not supposed to be part of Sunday’s demolition exercise.
Amidst venting their frustrations, some called on President Akufo-Addo to provide more jobs in both the rural and urban areas as he promised, since unemployment was the root cause of these incidents.
Others also pleaded that government should come to their aid in order for them to relocate as they had been rid of their livelihoods and temporary place of stay.
Although these squatters have been deprived of their ‘homes’ and means of livelihood, there will be no form of compensation for them as the Railways Authority has totally washed its hands off any liability for damaging their properties since they were not authorized to settle there in the first place.
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