Mr Justice Isaac Delali Douse, Chairman of the Ministerial Committee investigating the June 3, 2015 Nkrumah Circle disaster, has called on Ghanaians to accept the sad event as a national issue.
He said the disaster disrupted almost all events in the city and called on the people to desist from making “too much noise” about the tragedy, which is undermining efforts to find solutions to the problem.
Mr Douse, a retired Appeal Court Judge together with other committee members visited the Sodom and Gomorrah site (Old Fadama) to acquaint themselves with the ongoing demolishing exercise by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly.
He urged the public to assist the committee in their investigations and gave an assurance that it would do all it could to finish the task assigned to them.
Mr Wise Ametefe, Drainage Consultant and Registrar of the Engineering Council, said the measures of demolishing the place had become necessary since the whole area is on the Korle Lagoon.
He said any heavy structure sited at the place could sink, adding: “It is not safe for people to stay on the water bed and do business.”
Mr Ametefe, a member of the Fire and Flood Disaster Committee said the illegal activities at the place had led to the broken down of the treatment plant and supported the exercise of relocating the people to Adjen Kotoku in the Ga West District.
He said: “All maintenance work are going to be carried out on the treatment plant to ensure that the Korle Lagoon Restoration Project is resustained.”
Dr Alfred Oko Vanderpuije, Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive said buses would be available to transport those who want to go back to their home towns.
He said the Old Fadama had remained intact but those living on the Korle Lagoon would have their structures demolished.
“These negotiations were held over four years ago with their representatives to prepare to vacate or relocate but all fell on deaf ears,” he said.
Dr Vanderpuije said as soon as he gets the list of those who would wish to go to their home towns a package of GH¢ 500.00 would be made available for their upkeep.
GNA
