Bloodshed Looms Over Shell Filling Station Construction

Some residents living around Abrewa-Nkwanta Round-About at Effiduase in the New Juaben municipality of the Eastern Region have promised bloodshed if the construction of a Shell fuel and gas filling station in an area considered water-logged is allowed to continue.

The residents have vowed to resist construction works if the New Juaben Municipal Assembly fails to stop the investor from developing the area.

The area is well-known to be flood prone and property worth millions are destroyed anytime it rains.

Last year, the torrential rainfall rendered many residents homeless, with some offices such as the regional office of the Driver and Vehicle License Authority being affected. The roads leading to Tafo, Suhum and Koforidua Township were also flooded making them unmotorable.

The residents believe the construction of the Fuel Filling station at the water-logged area would aggravate the problem to cause devastating flooding anytime it rains.

Currently, contractors are busily working on the project which is at the foundation level. A visit to the site by this reporter revealed that artisans were busy erecting concrete pillars as part of the foundation, while others were constructing a fence wall.

The foreman who spoke under condition of anonymity told the DAILY HERITAGE that, the project belongs to Shell –Ghana, adding that, they have secured all the necessary permits for the construction of the filling station in the area.

When contacted, the Municipal Chief Executive for New Juaben, Dr. Kwaku Owusu Acheampong, said he has ordered that the contractors stop work on the project until the investor produces permit. He promised to visit the place to assess the situation.

The Eastern Regional Director of Town and Country Planning Department, Kwame Ampabeng, said the area where the filling station is being constructed has been demarcated as water-logged; hence, no building must be permitted there.

He expressed worry that many people are building illegally with impunity which has been a major cause of disasters befalling the nation.