The Mayor of Accra, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuye has justified the recent demolitions carried out by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly within the national capital. According to him, the exercises were to improve environmental conditions within the urban space which he believes will promote tourism in the country.
Dr. Okoe Vanderpuye was speaking at the United Nation World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) summit in Accra on Monday.
“Tourism will only do well within a conducive, sanitary environment and therefore it is important to to ensure public safety for all of us as citizens and our tourists, it is important to note that what we used to call Mensa Guinea in Accra, Sodom and Gomorrah and June 4-with all of its criminal activities, all do not exist today,” he said.
The AMA has over the past few months carried out series of demolition exercises.
These include clearing of structures at Old Fadama popularly referred to as Sodom and Gomorrah to facilitate a free flow of the Odaw River.
This also came on the back of the June 3 twin flood and fire disaster at the Kwame Nkrumah Circle that claimed about 150 lives.
Another involved the demolition of structures along the railway area at Avenor. Dr. Vanderpuye further mentioned of some efforts made in creating a conducive atmosphere for businesses within the central business district.
“Creating the path and the pavement for our pedestrians so that our citizens and our tourists in town will have places to do their shopping and enjoy the city while the motorists also have a place to ply to and fro and to ensure safety in the city of Accra,” he said.
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