Ghana's Minister for Road and Highways, Kwesi Amoako-Atta has ordered the arrest of three foreign nationals and some workers of a construction firm for destroying portions of a major road to build a 22-storey building.
The contractors were reportedly putting up a fence wall at an unsanctioned location near the Association International School at the Airport Residential Area in the Greater Accra Region, when the visibly angry Minister arrived with some security operatives.
Amoako-Atta also accused the foreigners of supervising the 22 multi-purpose storey building without permit. He called for the prosecution of the Turkish developers in the viral video, stating that it will serve as a deterrent to others who come into the country and destroy state property while inconveniencing citizens in the process.
He said;
“The contractor and all those working here must be arrested immediately, look at this, and you destroyed the public road, in which country can this be allowed. In your own country can anybody do this? It is madness, the owner of this property is not bigger than this country.
“You enter into the road corridor, creating inconveniences to all those who use this stretch of the road, you have destroyed the road and you think you have the power to do that? You should be arrested and prosecuted…This nonsense will not be allowed in our country. Foreigners come into our country and engage in all kinds of things, you destroy public property.
“I am going round and any individual or company that might have encroached on the road corridor and the road reservation, we are going to do same so this is just the beginning, even if it is a building which has entered into the road reservation I will pull it down. Ghanaians who stay outside this country are supposed to be law-abiding in those countries and so we expect the same from any foreigner who comes into our country. All of us who are officials at various sectors must be careful and carry our national pride because it is very painful that some officials allow some foreigners [to take us] for a ride over money or whatever it is”
VIDEO-
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The minister went too far,name calling was unnecessary because this guy did not just construct the building without anyone from Ghana involvement.If it was proper place who would benefits Indians? The laws in Ghana so weak that anyone can get away it.He over react stop calling names.
These workers may be wrong to some point but they also have their bosses who instructed them. The minister should have reported the matter to the IGP or the police authorities to investigate first to ascertain where the fault is coming from and then subsequently make the arrest. Proper procedure must be followed before making any arrest and not Iddi Amin way of doing things.
The Road Minister have done well. Let us stop going to foreign countries for Aids,Assistance and also foreigners to opened businesses in the country. Before a foreigner will come to the country to construct a building. The government gone in for loans,Aids or assistance The President of the country will use their workers to do the job. The Road Minister to found out who is construction the building. Who is the owner of the building. Who sign the building permit.
i'm ndc but i like the minister. these are the kind of leaders we need. can u imagine what this man can do if he was president? legally, a private citizen can arrest an illegality, so in that respect he can cause for the arrest. also, since the destroyed property, i.e the road, falls under his ministry, he also can have the guy arrested. arrest does not mean guilty. the guy can produce the permits that allowed him to construct. this is a matter of law. if he has permit, he'll be free to continue. in that case, if we need our road, we'll compensate him, and take the land. this is a zoning and legal issue.
Altitude of some Ghanaian's toward wrong doping very uncultured and therefore the country will be like that. ***barred word*** commentators will continue exhibiting their Torrance on the action taken by the minister
THE BEST MINISTER SO FAR I WILL VOTE FOR NPP BECAUSE OF HIM . WELL DONE MR MINISTER.
The Road Minister didn't do well by giving order for those guys to be arrested. remember he represent every Ghanaian interest and the interest of anybody leaving in this country. This is just a public show kind of thing. There's traffic everywhere especially in Accra that is what should be of a great concern to him but not making public show out of nothing. Really has he gone through the roads within that vicinity. There are bad over all over there and is not thinking about fixing them but rather doing this kind of job? Are there not people under his jurisdictions who supposed to advice this guys on stuff like that. Please road minister fixed roads and think about reducing traffic in Accra and other big cities. I rest my case.
Max the road minister is interested in the destruction of major . what has permit got to with destruction of major? Can you do this in western countries? I salute the road minister. You are destroying road built by the republic because of your 22 storey building. Am in Melbourne here, you can't even encroach cut down public tree let alone public road. The investor must be deal with. How can foreigner pour pepper on a Ghanaian lady and the public is quiet because of corruption. Foreigners should not go beyond their right and freedom.
believe there are regulations and procedures guiding construction activities especially when they are taking place in residential areas in Ghana. I do not want to believe that it was the responsibility of the Minister of roads to take that action. There is clearly a Construction Authority in Ghana where permission should be sought. By producing requisite specifications, and calculations that satisfy the security requirements, ie noise-safety, static calculations and norms that the values are within the permissible variations before construction can begin. The safety measures in construction are just like any other safety regulations and should be proactive but not reactive.