The Tema Development Corporation (TDC) and the National Disaster Management Authority, NADMO, has taken steps to eject over hundreds of illegal occupants of some blocks of Kaiser Flats in Tema community 4.
People who are occupying block 407, 408, 410 and 415 have been ordered by the TDC to vacate the place by Wednesday, January 31, [ads1]2018, or undergo forcible eviction on February 1. The order is in line with the Tema High Court ruling as far back as 28th October 2013 which favoured TDC.
In a statement, the Managing Director of TDC Alice Abena Ofori-Atta said the eviction is to pave way for the re-development scheme planned for the whole of Tema especially the Kaiser flat which has been in a dilapidated state for some time now. Occupants were given up to the end of January to evacuate the building after The Tema High Court ruled in favour of TDC, it subsequently obtained a writ of possession to remove the occupants of the blocks.
Speaking to Awakeafrica.com, the Greater Accra Regional Coordinator of NADMO, Archibald Cobbinah the evacuation is a preventive measure from an impending disaster and it is high time Ghanaians become proactive and not wait for a catastrophe to happen before actions are taken.
Mr. Archibald indicated that it is not prudent to wait for a disaster to strike before the organization comes in with relief items. According to him, it is a good cause and safety of the people and their properties that it has become necessary to undertake such an exercise. Â The buildings which have been marked as a disaster-prone area, and waiting to be demolished is in a very bad state and full of cracks. Archibald Cobbinah said safe havens will be provided temporarily for those who genuinely do not have anywhere to relocate to.
The Government Spokesperson on Infrastructure, Richard Asante Yeboah, said government desire is to make sure that every Ghanaian is safe and protected and no life is lost. He indicated that the buildings have become a death trap and if not curb now, a huge number of lives will be lost should disaster strike. He pleaded with the occupants to move out immediately before calamity strikes.
The Assemblyman for Horticulture Electoral Area, Richard Anning said he has sensitized the affected persons and they have agreed to move out of the place by the close of Wednesday, despite some not having anywhere to move to. He pleaded with the authority to assist the occupants with the needed support to move peacefully. He tasked TDC to compensate those who are supposed to be compensated but are yet to be compensated.
Some residents of the affected flats pleaded with the TDC to give them more time to move out since they have lived there for many years and have nowhere to go. They implored the government to give them the houses that are contained in the affordable housing project in Kpone for them to occupy for the meantime. They noted that they have been renovating the house and paying rent to TDC until the Corporation discontinued the paying of rent in 1992 since they wanted to demolish the buildings.
The affected flats are estimated to have 44 flats with about 187 occupants.
