KMA Questions Police Over Supervised Adehyeman Demolitions

The Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is asking the regional police to explain why they supervised a demolition exercise at the Adehyeman Gardens over the weekend.

Over 300 stores and structures were pulled down under police and military supervision last Sunday. Ownership of the piece of land on which stores sat is still being contested in court.

Speaking to Luv FM’s Erastus Asare Donkor immediately after an emergency Regional Security Council (REGSEC) meeting, Monday , the KMA boss, Kojo Bonsu served notice he would investigate the circumstances under which the stores were razed down.

According to him, he was neither notified nor had any discussions with those involved in the demolition exercise, noting that if he had had prior notice of the exercise, he would have given the traders one week notice for them to clear their goods before the exercise would take place.

The Kumasi Mayor said a committee had been set up by REGSEC to assess the issue and provide a report with recommendations.

The committee, Mr. Bonsu noted, is expected to establish whether or not the High court had given an order, authorising the demolition exercise; whether the order was legally executed and done in the manner that conforms with the laid down procedures and the laws of the country; find out all persons who played a role directly or indirectly in the demolition exercise which took place at Adehyeman; find out the affected persons and ascertain the extent of damage caused by the exercise.

“I have given the REGSEC committee seven days to come back with reports and recommendations. This will be forwarded to the REGSEC for immediate action to be taken”, Mr. Bonsu noted.

Traders, who were the most affected, also claimed they had not been notified before the exercise.

Meanwhile, the Ashanti regional Police public relations officer, ASP Mohammed Tanko told Joy News that the Police only complied with a court order.

“We acted on a court order directed to us to assist the plaintiff to recover the land, so we did not go there on our own volition.

When the court direct us to do something, we just enquire from the court whether the order was true and follow suit”, ASP Tanko intimated.

According to him, the police follow instructions of the court, adding, it is not the practice of the police to give time or notices for people to remove their belongings from premises before such demolitions are done.

Luv FM’s James Hemans visited the demolished site this afternoon and reported that most of the traders have returned and rebuilding their structures following the directives from the KMA boss to continue their businesses until a firm decision is taken on the issue.