Residents of Sodom and Gomorrah, in Accra, say they will not defy the eviction or a slum by the city and regional authorities. They, however, say the authorities should, in the course of the implementation of the exercise, be sensitive to their plight.
They urged the government to deliver on its social responsibility by providing alternative settlement for the over 55,000 people to be affected.
Addressing a well attended press conference amidst heavy police presence yesterday, a spokesperson for the Old Fadama Development Association, Philip Mayor, Alfred Vanderpuije and the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashietey, to the place, the residents continue to live in panic and fear due to the media�s focus on the settlement.
He recalled that in 2002 the residents faced a similar eviction order but an NGO, Center for Public Interest law, instituted a court action to stop the eviction but the application was refused.
Mr Kumah said it was worthy of note at the time that the High Court said the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to carrying out the eviction should give it a �human face.�
The residents said they were therefore appealed to the AMA to show sensitivity in carrying out the order.
The other concern raised bordered on AMA�s claim that the residents generated a lot of filth which was killings aquatic life in the lagoon. The residents said they had assured the AMA they would constitute a taskforce to protect the lagoon while waiting for the alternative arrangement to relocate them but� AMA ordered us not to go near the lagoon since it is not our business.�
They said it was the responsibility of the government to improve the welfare of the entire citizenry including squatters.
Some of the residents the Times spoke to said they are law abiding citizens who will not do anything to disturb the peace they are enjoying. �all that we are saying is that we are not at war with the government and other stakeholders. We must not be given a bad name like a dog and hang it�, one resident said.
In an interview, the Accra District Police Commander, Supt. Oklu Gyamera said even though the crowd at the press conference was large, they were well behaved.
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