Residents of Manhean around the Nsaki River in the Ga West Municipality of the Greater Accra region have expressed their disappointment in the Ga West Municipal Assembly, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Manhean King Makers Council for conniving with a businessman, Godfred Siaw to fill the Nsaki River with sand and garbage to pave way for the construction of fuel station and a washing bay.
According to the source, when the residents confronted Mr. Siaw over the filling of the river, he stated with impunity that the Ga West Municipal Assembly, EPA and the Manhean Kingmakers’ Council have already taken huge amount of money from him to continue with the said project.
The source also revealed that the Chairman of the Kingmakers’ Council, Nii Laryea Quartey, the Secretary, Nii Oku Quarpome, the Chief of Bosuafise, Nii Odametey I, who doubles as the Acting Head of Nii Anum Family of Manhean and Solomon Adjiri Quarpome, Head of Quarpome Datree Royal Family were behind the alleged sale of the Nsaki River for fuel station in the area, others includes Sule Libya and Alhaji Mensah.
Our checks further indicated that Mr. Siaw went on to tell the residents that he has a political influence and money to fight his bid to construct the fuel station and the washing bay hence no one can stop him from carrying out the project.
The source mentioned that Mr. Siaw surrounds himself with landguards whenever he comes to the site to fill the river with sand.
This, the residents are calling on the higher authorities to as a matter of urgency Organisation investigate the issue and bring the perpetrators who want to tarnish the hard won reputation of EPA and the Assembly to book.
The residents are wondering why an institution like EPA and the Ga West Municipal Assembly will accept money for such project to be carried out knowing the danger that will befall the community if they fail to prevent the construction, adding that there will be a severe flooding when there is a downpour.
Residents round Manhean, Oduman, Nsakina and its environs are already facing challenges of flooding whenever there is a heavy downpour due to industrial plastic and garbage been emptied into the river and lack of drains within the Municipality and only God knows what will happen to the residents if the contractor succeeds filling the river and put up the fuel station and the washing bay.
This has put the residents in a state of panic as they made references to the June 3rd 2015, disaster adding that the area is already a flood prone area and it will be dangerous and suicidal if a fuel station is situated which could easily catch fire during flooding.
Checks also indicated that in May 2019, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ga West Municipal Assembly together with the Amasaman District Police Commander, Superintendent Frederick Mensah stopped Mr. Siaw who was working day and night to cover the river.
This reporter in an interview with Sule Libya and Alhaji Mensah who claimed to be the leaders of Manhean accepted with impunity that they the brain behind the filling of the river, stated that it is for development purposes.
According to them after filling the river there will be a construction of schools, hospitals, police station and other developmental projects for the community.
Sule Libya and Alhaji Mensah believes that they rather helping the community with development and government must reward them for blocking the river to pave way for developmental project adding that; the Ga West Municipal Assembly has failed to develop the community.
On his part, the Municipal Engineer (Works Department) Engineer Eric Jimifoster Donkor stated that the Assembly have not soil it hands in any bribe to pave way for the said project at the Nsaki River.
He added that he rather went on the said site at Nsakina with the Assembly’s taskforce together with the Amasaman Divisional Command to stop the blocking of the Nsaki River.
According to him, some elders of Manhean later reported to him that the filing of the Nsaki River is still ongoing but checks made by Assembly revealed that the perpetrators of the act works on Sundays and late at night at the blind side of the Assembly.
This he said, make it difficult for the assembly to stop the project adding that he have reported the incident to the Amasaman Police Commander to assist the Assembly with Police patrol team to effect arrest anytime there is a tip off that the perpetrators are on the site working.
The Engineer assured the residents that the Assembly will ensure that the contractor goes through proper channel before constructing any thing along the river.
When contacted the alleged contractor, Mr. Siaw on phone, he accepted that he is Godfred Siaw and ask the reporter how he manage to get his phone number as no one in the area have his contact.
Mr. Siaw later called the reporter and said it is a wrong number as he have no knowledge or hands in the said project.
Many efforts were made to contact officials at the EPA and Manhean Kingmakers’ Council yield no results.
Source: Muhammed Faisal Mustapha
