Hundreds Rendered Homeless Over Demolishing Of Illegal Structures At Kawukudi

The Ayawaso East Municipal Assembly (AEMA) has pulled down scores of illegal buildings around the Central Mosque at Kawukudi in the Ayawaso East Municipality of Accra on Tuesday, March 21.

The demolition, carried out by the assembly and led by the police, has rendered hundreds of people homeless. 

Armed police officers numbering over 30 were seen providing security.

An eye-witness, Rafik Seidu, said the demolition exercise started around 5:30 am.

“I went to the mosque to pray, and when I finished and came out, I saw people running out of their rooms. Some had towels around their waist, and others wore only shorts because they were still sleeping when the demolition started,” he said.

“Some people said they want to clear the area and use it for a police station, but I do not know if that is true,” he told Graphic Online.

It is not clear what the purpose of the demolition exercise was as the AEMA failed to speak to give any comment on the exercise.

The residents of the area gave different accounts of the demolition.

Some of the area’s residents said the land had been sold to a church, so they were being ejected to pave the way for the church to develop the land.

Others said it was being cleared for a police station, while another group said the structures were being removed because of the national mosque.