The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey has appealed to residents and traders to cooperate with city authorities in enforcing safety regulations, emphasising that non-compliance could put lives at risk.
The Mayor made the call when he visited the New Town disaster scene alongside the Ga Mantse and President of the Ga Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II and the Municipal Chief Executive for Ayawaso Central, Hon. Rudolph Collingwood Williams, to assess the situation and interact with affected residents.
Speaking at the site, the Mayor reiterated that the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) was committed to safeguarding lives and property but required the support of the public to effectively carry out its mandate.
He explained that the Assembly had recently intervened at the Kaneshie overhead area, which he described as a major safety risk requiring urgent attention and renovation.
According to him, he had personally visited the location to oversee the clearing of unauthorised activities and subsequently deployed a task force to monitor compliance during the evening hours.
The Mayor expressed concern that traders continued to return to the area immediately after the task force left, undermining the Assembly’s efforts to maintain safety.
He cautioned that while such actions might not pose an immediate threat to those involved, they could potentially result in harm to innocent people, warning that negligence in such situations could have fatal consequences.
Mayor Allotey urged residents and traders to cooperate with city authorities, emphasising that their support was crucial in ensuring that safety interventions were sustained.
He disclosed that he would be returning to the Kaneshie overhead site later in the day to continue monitoring the situation, signalling the Assembly’s resolve to enforce compliance.
The Mayor also announced that the Assembly now had a functioning sanitation court to prosecute offenders, indicating that individuals who flout regulations would be arrested and held accountable for their actions
He urged the public to take recent incidents as a serious lesson and encouraged community members to play an active role in ensuring compliance with building and safety regulations while calling on residents to report any construction activities being undertaken without permits in their communities to enable the Assembly to take prompt action.
The Mayor stressed that the Assembly’s interventions were ultimately in the interest of the public and appealed for collective responsibility, noting that cooperation from residents would enable the AMA to better protect lives and prevent future disasters.
The Ga Mantse and President of the Ga Traditional Council, His Royal Majesty King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II, called for strict adherence to building regulations and heightened oversight by regulatory bodies to prevent future disasters.
He highlighted the importance of regular inspections of school facilities, mentioning areas such as Aayalolo and Mamprobi Sempe, and emphasised that such institutions must meet the required safety standards at all times.
