Parliament Demands Action on Unauthorised Containers, Structures in East Legon

The Local Government and Rural Development Committee of Parliament has called on the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly to take immediate action against the proliferation of unauthorised containers and temporary structures in East Legon, Accra.

The Committee raised the concern during an engagement with officials of the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly, who appeared before Parliament to account for activities within the municipality and respond to concerns over development control and the enforcement of planning regulations.

Officials of the Assembly told the Committee that it had not issued permits for the containers and other temporary structures that have sprung up at various locations across East Legon.

The revelation raised concerns among lawmakers about the effectiveness of the Assembly’s monitoring and enforcement mechanisms, particularly in East Legon, one of Accra’s prominent residential and commercial communities.

Chairperson of the Committee, Queenstar Maame Pokuah Sawyerr, questioned why unauthorised structures continued to emerge despite the Assembly’s position that it had not approved them.

She expressed concern that the unchecked proliferation of containers and temporary structures could undermine proper physical planning, development control and the orderly growth of the area.

“Why do you allow containers springing up everywhere around such an expensive area? And temporary structures too. There are a lot of them there. Are you ready to do something about it because they are unauthorised structures and containers and all of that?”

The Committee Chairperson subsequently tasked the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly to develop a comprehensive strategy to address the situation and remove the unauthorised structures from the area.

She stressed the need for the Assembly to enforce planning and development regulations more effectively while taking preventive measures to stop the continued spread of unapproved structures.

The Committee’s intervention comes amid growing concerns over development control in parts of Accra, with lawmakers emphasising the need for local authorities to ensure that urban development complies with approved planning regulations.