Some four hundred and four occupants of the Tema Community four Kaizer flats, which have been earmarked for demolition by the Tema Development Company [TDC], have finally packed out of the buildings.
This comes after several concerns were raised about the safety of the structures by managers of the flats, the Tema Development Corporation.
The flats have developed deep cracks with iron rods protruding from the concrete and the plastering peeling off.
The four flats, which are blocks 407, 408, 410 and 415 since 1982, have been declared inhabitable, but the occupants have been in court battling the issue out until a definite directive was given by the high court in 2018, directing the occupants to vacate by 31st January for its original owners [TDC] to redevelop them.
As at Thursday morning, the flat was empty with just a handful of residents loitering around with their luggage.
The spokesperson for the affected residents, Adjei Lomotey, noted that “though we are not happy with the decision by the court asking us to move out, we have decided not to appeal the decision any longer, but allow TDC to carry on with its intended developmental agenda”.
He said ” we have had some agreement with TDC which is that, TDC says it will give us the first option to purchase the affordable houses when completed, and that is yet to be put on paper, so we would want that to be done as soon as possible so we are not pushed away when the time comes”.
Meanwhile, the Greater Accra Regional NADMO Coordinator, Archibald Cobinah, has declared the site of the four flats a danger zone.
The four flats have all been cordoned off with the entrances to the various rooms braced with wood to prevent occupants from entering.
The affected residents include 53 children and 134 adults.
However, there are some other flats that are equally weak with similar cracks in them as those earmarked for demolition, but it is not clear what the TDC intends to do with them.
Their reason is that, those flats have been bought by their occupants, and so they do not have control over them any longer.
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By: Elvis Washington/citifmonline.com/Ghana