TMA WARNS SQUATTERS

Rose Hayford Darko ,Tema .

The Tema Municipal has given an ultimatum to squatters who have encroached on a parcel of land in front of the entrance to the Tema Oil Refinery to quit the place immediately or be forcibly evicted .

This follows the refusal of the squatters to quit the area despite several warnings by the TMA and TOR to them to do so

They have erected wooden structures which swerve as their places of abode and also for the sale of cooked food and drinks .

Although a number of tankers are parked in the area the squatters use fire and also engage in illegal sale of fuel through siphoning of petroleum .

Speaking to the press at Tema on Thursday , the Public Affairs Manager
of TOR , Mrs Aba Lokko said in 2003 , the Refinery experienced a fire outbreak during which the government set up a Committee to investigate the cause of it .

She said after its sittings , the Committee recommended that all illegal structures around the refinery should be removed.

Mrs Lokko noted that the first attempt in collaboration with the Tema Municipal Municipal Assembly to evict the squatters could not be sustained .

When media personnel in the company Mrs Lokko visited the area ,it was observed that ‘Remove ’notices had been posted on the wooden structures but make shift structures continue to spring up .


The traders had put up wooden sleeping places in addition to selling points for food and drinks while make shift garages continue to spring up.

Certain persons termed ‘bele bele ’ boys were busily found siphoning fuel into containers and waiting vehicles.

The Acting General Manager of Health Services and Environment, Mr Kingsley Kofi Ditsa stated that the activities of these squatters was a threat to the plant and the economy of the country .

Mr Ditsa explained that the area being occupied by the squatters was demarcated for green belt to beautify the frontage of the refinery .

He said the Management of Tor had relocated the traders and provided facilities free of charge to enable them operate their trade at the new Oil Tanker Park ( OTP) under more hygienic conditions .

Mr Ditsa noted that the presence of the women attracted the presence of the tanker drivers through whom the illegal activities come , therefore when they quit the activities will stop .

Some of the women interviewed by the Daily Graphic said although they had received notices to quit the area ,they had no where to go since some of them had lived in the area throughout their lives . They also claimed that they made low sales at the new place .



One Madam Martha Simons who said she was the leader of the women said the new place could not accommodate all of them .

She felt Tor was not being fair to them because they have no where to go if ejected from the current location .

She said TOR was not being fair to them because they had nowhere to go .


PUBLISHED ON METRO PAGE ,MONDAY NOV. 5
2007