The Minister of Roads and Highways, Mr Kwasi Amoako-Atta has ordered the demolition of a 22-storey building at the airport residential area in Accra.The move follows numerous complaints from residents in the community that the developer has destroyed portions of a major road in the area.
“Because of this project you destroy public road. This is nonsensical and madness. It is madness”, the minister shot out during a visit to the site Wednesday. The angry minister who stormed the property with security men, ordered the arrest of three foreign nationals who were supervising the project just adjacent the Association International School.
Mr Amoako-Atta said his attention was drawn to the issue a few days ago hence he decided to get firsthand information on the matter by visiting the site.
He cautioned foreign nationals to obey the laws of the land, explaining that “Ghanaians outside this country are supposed to be law abiding, they are supposed to abide the law of those countries. We expect the same from any foreigner who comes into our country. And all of us should be careful.”
He also charged public officials to place the national interest above their personal interests, saying “Officials at various centres are to be very careful and we should carry our national flag. It is painful, it is painful that some officials...i don’t know what it is, is it money? We allow foreigners to take our country for a ride. Money is not the most important thing in this world.”
The Roads Minster added that “If there is anybody who is involved in this matter, any official at any level who might have compromised his or her position, that person will also be dealt with”.
He said not even the President of the land would do what has been done, warning that he does not care which political power, economic power or traditional power that person has, "this will not be allowed and we will not allow this."
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Source: graphic.com.gh
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Whether we judge his action or inaction in some quarters as right or wrong the fact remains that some sectoral ministers are not performing expectedly. In fact the whole developmental approval process is in chaos. There seems to be no coordination or collaboration among the sectors hence this aftermath. The minister has divulged the degree of rottenness inside the apple as a whole. He acted or better still, reacted in a situational leadership fashion; a leadership style that is put up when the situation calls for it. It might not be the best and yet a lesson learner. He did act both in scope and out of scope of his jurisdiction but for a good reason and for the lack of responsibility and accountability of some leaders and citizenry. I believe if all were put up their hands as an effective selfless team of ministers of the country, Akuffo Addo will bring great change to the country for a memorial. This is a voice from cross the seas. There is not much space to write all there is to write but prudence should jerk all into good thinking so that people who have been given position of trust in the management of the country will execute their official responsibilities with the wellbeing of the nation and community at heart always. Going forward I believe the panacea to this unhealthy action on the part of the construction company and the subsequent desperate reaction from our “hero minster” is a revisit to the Development Approval process. Any development project must receive public approval through public notification process. There must be a workshop by the minister for planning and land management and/or council to re-educate all stakeholders in the construction industry regarding their responsibilities and obligations. Penalty for failing to abide by DA specifications must be well defined and enforced strictly. I love Ghana!!
Mr Minister, Weldone excuse me minister where were you during the foundation level and the Land commission department.you are 1st to deserve handcuff. who allocated him the land? Shame SHAME
Peace fm, train your journalists to report accurately. The minister did not tell them to demolish the building but rather told them to raise the hoarding ( fence) down. ‘ br)fo’ It’s all over the place that; the minister has ordered the demolishing of the building.
Thank you @Don Biko. i raised similar sentiments when the story broke yesterday and received insults from people. We will have to change this culture of supporting big men even in the face of wrongs. There is a process called the rule of law.
In thi country, we take things for granted. Let's apply the law. The law is no respector of person. And ignorance of the law is no excuse.
This just sums up the attitude of government agencies and departments; they are simply sleeping on their jobs. Why did we wait until the building took shape and caused significant public damage and disruption before action? As much as I share the anger of the sector minister I totally disagree with the way he "personalized" the operation. Ordering workers to be arrested arbitrarily is illegal and wrong. The minister arrogated absolute power to himself and instead of getting the police to effect the arrest he is using national security! His actions only reinforce the seeming lawlessness in this country that he is supposedly angry at. His approach must be condemned by all law-abiding citizens and proper investigations carried out to bring all law-breakers connected with this project to justice! Meanwhile the ordinary workers, some of whom were there as laborer's, should be immediately released. This is too common-place in this country: the real perpetrators of crimes are left off the hook whilst the poor people unfairly pay for these crimes. Same as a person steels a goat and gets 5 years whilst a politician who steels millions of State's money walks free!
THIS IS VERY SHAMEFUL. SO WE NEED THE WHOLE MINISTER TO TO GO OUT TO THE STREET HIMSELF TO ARREST SUCH VIOLATION OF LAW IN NO MEAN A PLACE LIKE ACCRA. CAN THE MINISTER GO AROUND THE WHOLE NATION TO DO THIS. WHAT IS THE USEFULNESS OF BUILDING INSPECTORATE IN OUR METROPOLITAN OR MUNICIPAL OF DISTRICT ASSEMBLIES. I AM RATHER HAPPY THAT THE MINISTER SAID HE WILL HOLD ACCOUNTABLE ALL THOSE IN PUBLIC SERVICE IN CHARGE OF SUCH CONSTRUCTION WHO FAIL IN THEIR RESPONSIBILITY TO STOP SUCH HAZARD. THAT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM PERMANENTLY AND NOT IN A CASUAL WAY.
Hon Amoako Atta is proven to the Minister of the century, in fact, he has demonstrated the sense of patriotism and nationalism
Why must it take a sector minister's intervention to get this sort of thing done? In a proper country the developer could even not finish laying a single block before he'll be arrested. Ghana is a shamble of a country!
I believe there are regulations and procedures guiding construction activities especially when they are taking place in residential areas in Ghana. I do not want to believe that it was the responsibility of the Minister of roads to take that action. There is clearly a Construction Authority in Ghana where permission should be sought. By producing requisite specifications, and calculations that satisfy the security requirements, ie noise-safety, static calculations and norms that the values are within the permissible variations before construction can begin. The safety measures in construction are just like any other safety regulations, should be proactive but not reactive.