Residents living in Sodom & Gomorrah, a suburb of Accra, have warned that any attempt by government to forcibly evict them would be met with brute force by them — which consequences can lead to unnecessary destruction of properties and loss of lives.
“After the recent clashes which saw several of our friends killed and injured, we have become very aggressive, and have therefore vouched to fiercely resist any move to evict us. We will meet the authorities squarely even if it means that some of us would have to put our lives in harm’s way,” many of the youth in the area disclosed this to TODAY in an interview.
According to the residents, the government’s decision to sack them from the place is ill-advised and therefore untimely, considering the properties which would be destroyed during the exercise.
They further bemoaned that so far government has not spelt out how it will be compensating them as most of them would have their properties destroyed.
Madam Eshun, a seamstress and resident in the area, argued that government will need to find them a decent place to relocate so that they can continue with their normal activities.
However, she advised that when this is not done and government goes ahead with the eviction exercise there is likely to be clashes.
Alhaji Abu Malik, another resident who has lived in the area for about 20 years, recounted the many promises that successive governments have made especially on the provision of a decent place for them to relocate.
He said: “When the NPP administration was in office, they promised to provide us a place to relocate but this never materialized in the 8 years rule of the Kufuor administration.”
He recalled that the then sector Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resource, Hon. Abubakar Saddique under Kufuor’s administration, “told us that they have acquired a land at Adjei Kotoku in Accra, and that within the next 3-4 years we will all be moved to that place.”
Alhaji Malik continued that after that unfulfilled promise, he could not understand how the Accra Metropolitan Assembly-AMA without any understanding of the matter, would issue a directive threatening to pull down their make-shift houses.
In a reaction to comments passed by the Mayor that Sodom and Gomorrah is a haven of filth and that residents there do not deserve any resettlement, Kwesi Annan, a resident noted that the mayor is only displaying his ignorance and that he needs to be guided to come to terms with the AMA’s standing orders and constitution.
He said it will be politically suicidal for the government to proceed with its intended action judging from the many promises which it has so far not been able to fulfill.
“Is this the ‘I Care for You Message’ that President Mills, then candidate Mills preached during the 2008 electioneering campaign”? Kwesi Annan angrily asked.
He went on to express: “Even as it stands now a lot of people have lost faith in this current administration, so for the government to carry on with this exercise would mean that the NDC party will suffer the consequences in 2012.”
Mr Opoku, who is the secretary for the Old Fadama Development Association (OFADA), a non-governmental organization remarked that about 55,000 people coming from various backgrounds have found shelter in the area.
He said given that most people have been staying in the place for the last 20 years indicates that there will be some difficulty relocating to a new place. He urged government to ensure that their new place has facilities that will ensure the comfort of the people.
Safia Ramadan, a 16-year-old resident told TODAY that much as he understands government efforts to rid the area of criminals, “Sodom and Gomorrah” does not have such people, “and pleaded with government to give them some time to enable them put their things in order before vacating from the palce.
“I am saying this because most people here are mainly children and any attempt by government to evict us will end up distracting our education,” pleaded Madam Safia Ramadan.
BY KELVIN ADU- TWUM PEPRAH