By Valentia Tetteh
The government plans to redevelop the Korle Lagoon enclave without forcibly relocating thousands of residents who live and work in the area, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has said.
The plan is part of efforts to clear accumulated waste from the enclave and transform it into an organised and liveable community.
Mr Ayariga said the government was not seeking to simply remove residents but would consider low-cost and high-rise housing to accommodate them more efficiently.
“When I say redevelop, I don’t mean we will sack the people. We will redevelop it by taking some space there, and then developing, you know, low-cost housing facilities.”
He said many residents provide essential services in Accra and should not be relocated far from their places of work.
“These are people who are providing services in the city, and it is convenient for them to live close to where they provide the service. I’m not a believer in moving them out of this place.”
Government considers vertical housing
Mr Ayariga said the government was considering a vertical redevelopment model that would allow a large population to be accommodated on a smaller portion of the land.
“They have no excuse. They can’t say that you have sacked them. You haven’t sacked them. You have just organized them in such a way that they go vertical.”
He said the redevelopment would seek to balance the need to reclaim the area with the rights and welfare of residents.
The government would also work with the private sector and development partners to design more sustainable and liveable communities.
“We’ll mobilize support from the private sector, mobilize support from our development partners, and design livable spaces.”
The minister, who described himself as a human rights person, said the government was mindful of international human rights principles in dealing with residents of the enclave.
He, however, maintained that the current situation could not be allowed to continue, particularly where some activities contribute to environmental degradation.
“We must move everybody out of the space, and we must redevelop the space.”
New economic opportunities
Mr Ayariga said some activities currently taking place in the area, including cattle rearing, might not be compatible with the proposed redevelopment.
He said the government would instead seek to create new economic opportunities within the redeveloped area so residents could benefit from jobs and other livelihood opportunities.
“In fact, we create economic opportunities in the same space where they were, and then they will also benefit by finding jobs at those locations that they would rather use as slum settlements.”
He said President John Dramani Mahama is expected to lead the initiative after returning from his international engagements, with relevant ministries already preparing for the exercise.
The Defence Ministry has also put together a team to support the operation, while the Ministries of Finance, Roads and Highways, and Local Government are expected to play key roles.
Mr Ayariga said the ultimate objective was to transform the enclave from an environmentally degraded settlement into a properly planned and liveable community.
The redevelopment forms part of the government’s broader sanitation campaign, which seeks not only to clear accumulated waste but also to create sustainable communities and make productive use of urban spaces.
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