TEMA ASSEMBLY TO FIGHT INDISCIPLINE (PAGE 18, JAN 18, 2011)

The Tema Metropolitan Assembly has earmarked this year as an action year to fight indiscipline and to ensure that illegal structures such as kiosks, containers and second-hand electronic items sales points in the metropolis are cleared.
The exercise will extend from Tema Business District to the various communities including Sakumono, Lashibi and their environs.
In separate interviews with officials of the Tema Metropolitan Assembly (TMA), the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) and the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) Tema, they advised the owners of unapproved structures to start packing before the demolishing task force set out to demolish them.
Tema, otherwise known as the Harbour City is gradually becoming a slum because of the rapid growth in population and rural-urban migration, coupled with indiscriminate siting of wooden structures in unauthorised areas.
This situation has rendered the Metropolis prone to fire outbreaks and sanitation hazards .
Last year the Metropolis experienced some fire outbreaks which destroyed domestic and industrial properties.
The influx of migrants has also contributed to prostitution which has made the HIV /AIDs pandemic rate high in Tema.
Such indiscriminate sexual activities goes on in illegal structures which are located in areas with insanitary conditions.
The Tema Development Corporation which is the city planners has as a result decided to decongest the city starting from the business centre .
According to the Managing Director, Mr Joe Abbey, the TDC is determined to ensure that those who have taken advantage of public space and have, therefore, occupied them must start packing or will have themselves to blame.
He indicated that the situation was chaotic around the Meridian Enclave in the city centre where vendors of second hand items have taken over pavements and frontage of businesses.
Mr Abbey stated that some residential communities in Tema extending to Lashibi and it’s surrounding areas would be covered by the exercise.
He called on other stakeholders to co-operate to make the exercise a success and also asked owners of the illegally sited vending points to vacate before the exercise takes off.
The Public Relations Officer of the Tema Regional Fire Service, Mr Timothy Affum, explained that the decision to decongest the township was necessary because most fire outbreaks recorded in the Metropolis were from wooden structures which had illegal electrical connections.
He noted that illegal structures had been erected on hydrants and blocked routes which fire tenders used to enter areas wherever there was a fire outbreak.
Mr Affum was not happy with the authorities whose duty it was to ensure that structures were built at legally demarcated areas.
He disclosed that the fisher folks in Tema New Town who lived in structures along the seashore would be educated on precautionary measures to ensure safety of the West African Gas Pipeline which comes to shore through the area .
Mr Affum said with the harmattan wind blowing people should be cautious to put off all fires after cooking and warned smokers who carelessly throw away the pieces of cigarette with fire at their tip.
He said some people have tapped electricity from main lines with illegal wires which are not recommended for the purpose and, therefore, easily caused flashes which caused fires.
Mr Affum commended the Tema Metropolitan Assembly for engaging in some decongestion at the outskirts of the Tema Central Market and the Community Two satellite market .
Meanwhile, the Tema Development Corporation says dates given to people located in unauthorised areas had expired the decongestive exercise would start anytime from now.