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A demolition exercise that was allegedly carried out at 12 a.m. by the Ga West Municipal Assembly has reduced a chain of 50 shops at Kingsby Junction at Achimota in Accra, to a pile of rubble. The four-hour exercise saw a bull dozer ploughing through the wooden structures while angry shop owners looked on. A team of armed military and police officers were said to have stormed the area in vehicles to carry out the exercise. When graphic.com.gh arrived at the scene, what was known to be a vibrant hub of mechanics and block manufacturers was no more. Wooden structures that served as offices and homes for mechanics and apprentices had been pulled down, with electrical wirings hanging loosely. The mechanics and apprentices were seen salvaging what was left of their business and homes. Containers and wooden structures stocked with tools and spare parts had been crushed and their roofing sheets were dangling dangerously. Narrating the incident to graphic.com.gh, Mr Richard Ofori Appah said the demolition team arrived in the area at midnight and without warning began to break down structures. Several allegations were levelled against the demolition squad. They said the police and military officers had removed their name tags and service numbers so they could not be identified. �They first disconnected our shops from the main pole, plunging the whole area into total darkness before carrying out the demolition,� Mr Appah said. He continued, �We were not even allowed to take a pin out. They began firing warning shots so some of those sleeping inside dashed out. They chased us out of the place and brought down most of the shops.� Those affected by the demolition alleged that the squad (led by one Nico of the GWMA) emboldened by the lack of resistance from the terrified apprentices, smashed roofs, kicked down doors, and looted many valuables. The police team allegedly assaulted some of the apprentices. Two young men had bruises which they claimed they sustained from the assault. �They even forcibly opened a drinking spot and drank as many bottles as they could before pulling it down,� another person alleged. They listed some of the items destroyed as gas cylinders, electric welding and grinding machines, car batteries, Multi TV decoders. An amount of GH� 8,500 also got missing. They said even though the GWMA had on September 4 this year written on their structures that they should be removed on the same day, they were surprised with the way the exercise was carried out. The Assemblyman for the Abofu Electoral Area, Mr James Akago, who was at the scene, described the incident as unfortunate and a violation of the law. �If even they have been notified, they must be given adequate time to remove their belongings. This cannot be justified. Section 52 (1-2) of the Local Government Act (462) indicates that if a physical development has been or is being carried out without a permit, it could only be demolished if conditions incorporated in a permit are not complied with. A District Planning Authority may give written notice in such form as may be prescribed by regulations to the owner of the land requiring him on or before a date specified in the notice to show cause in writing addressed to the District Planning Authority why the unauthorised development should not be prohibited, altered, abated, removed or, removal or demolition and recover any expenses incurred from the owner of the land as if it were a demolished.� �If the owner of the land fails to show sufficient cause why the development should not be prohibited, altered, abated, removed or demolished, the District Planning Authority may carry out the prohibition, abatement, alteration debt due to the District Planning Authority.� Attempts to get official reaction to the matter were met with contradictory reactions from officials of the GWMA and the Accra Metropolitan Assembly. While the Presiding Member of the GWMA, Mr Thomas Okine, said Mr Ababio of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly was in a better position to speak on the matter, Mr Ababio asked graphic.com.gh to speak to one Nico, an employee of the GWMA and leader of the demolition team. Only the Achimota highway separates the two assemblies but the place is within the jurisdiction of the GWMA. Numerous allegations were made about who was responsible for the exercise, as the land has been under litigation for the past six years, an assertion which was confirmed by Madam Adelaide Wood, the purported lady who leased the place to its current occupants. Madam Wood said the case was still in court but she suspected that her contending party might have sold the land to a third party.` She said whenever the case was called, the other parties (Stanley Owusu and Kwesi Boadu) never turned up. She added a few months ago, a lady whose name was given as Regina came over, claiming to have bought the land and that created confusion. Madam Wood said the matter was reported to the Mile 7 Police who asked her to produce title to the land which her grandmother had bought and registered in 1937. �I told them that this is purely a civil matter and the police cannot by merely looking at a document, decide who owns the land. If she believes the land is hers, she should go to court.� She said the lady in question reported the matter to the police headquarters and since then, the police had been harassing people on the land. Madam Wood alleged that last Thursday, attempts to restrain the lady (Regina) by placing an injunction on her visit to the land proved futile as she refused to accept the writ.