<<Print>>

The ongoing excavation works within the central business district of Accra for the construction of what is suspected to be a basement structure is creating discomfort among traders and passersby if authorities do not stop it, Today can report. It is feared that the excavation between the Rawlings Park and UTC could affect many structures including houses and shops if the underground building is erected within the vicinity. Owner of the new structure, who is said to be a businessman (name withheld), reportedly purchased a property in the area and then decided to demolish an old building on the land, located opposite the Rawlings Park in Accra to reconstruct it. In the process however, the said owner, according to our sources, was aggressively digging the ground to enable him put up a basement, a situation which could affect all the nearby buildings around the plot. Information gathered indicates that, the owner even though claimed to have secured permit from the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to put up his building, the permit which was approved from the AMA did not authorise him to construct a basement. Residents, shop owners and affected individuals having sensed the danger at the degree of damage the digging of the basement could cause to their buildings and how fatal it would be in the event of collapse, complained to the AMA which invited the businessman over the matter for interrogation. Excavation works exposed foundations of nearby buildings According to information, the AMA ordered the businessman to repair the damage caused to all the affected buildings with designs and specifications but he failed to do so, saying that the cost involved was too expensive and tried to improvise his own methods to reduce cost. Meanwhile sources say the police have also invited the businessman and demanded that he produces his documents for their perusal to enable them (police) settle the impasse between him and the affected residents, an invitation he has refused to honour, challenging that he should rather be sued in court. The owners of the affected buildings, who pleaded with the AMA after series of confrontations with the businessman for failing to undertake the repair works on their damaged buildings, were however arrested by the regional police command for encroachment in their efforts to undertake the repair works themselves on their legitimate property. They claimed they never sold any of their properties to the businessman and that there was no way they were going to allow him (businessman) continues with his project. A visit to the site by Today revealed approximately a 15 feet-deep down dug pit which was created with an excavator by the contractor to construct an underground basement for car park, contrary to the AMA permit and dimensions on both repair works and the construction of his facility. Further checks on planning and structural drawings from the AMA Works Department approving the said permit for construction revealed that, the said businessman�s new building did not contain a basement and also an offset space between his new building and that of the existing structures of ten feet was also being ignored. Residents complained that water had been �illegally� connected to the site and that it had impeded free flow of water to their homes. Also septic tank which was buried underground to serve residents was destroyed by the excavator during the digging of the pit. Traders lamenting on the issue noted that the disaster yet to come, even though has been sensed by the AMA engineers, seemed to have been ignored, resulting in cracks in surrounding buildings (GTP House) are gradually expanding by inches on a daily basis. A trader (name withheld) remarked that the irresponsibility of some government officials like the engineers of AMA and their selfish attitude on improper supervisory role on all construction buildings were the causes of such disasters that had previously occurred in certain parts of the country. She recounted the Melcom disaster on November 2012, the Nii Boi Town Hotel collapse which occurred on March 13, 2014 and the Cantonment building collapse on 26th July, 2015 all happening under the watch of the Mayor of Accra. These she pointed out were caused by negligence and selfish interests of some building inspectors and engineers of the AMA Works Department. Speaking to some occupants of a property close to the excavated site, they complained to this reporter about the conduct of the Accra Regional Police Command which they said has persistently threatened them and shown bias in favour of the businessman. One of the grandchildren of a house owner, Mercy Nyorkor Ntre, claimed, the construction of the underground structure could cause havoc and hence businessman must be stopped. Meanwhile Today understands efforts by the residents to have the Director for Works Department at the A.M.A on Saturday, December 26, 2015 morning at the site at 9:00 A.M., AMA, as originally scheduled for the way forward proved futile as Engineer, Mr. Victor Mensah failed to turn up. Nevertheless, the businessman declined to talk to journalists after he was informed about the presence of some journalists by his contractor.