Over 356 evictees from Old Fadama in Accra have arrived in Tamale through the Northern Youth for Peace and Community Development(NYPCD), an NGO in collaboration with Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA).
They were evicted by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on the bases that their activities in Old Fadama contributed to the June 3 twin disaster that claimed about two hundred people’s lives.
This is the fourth batch that has arrived in the northern regional capital, Tamale since AMA carried out the demolition exercise on 27th June, 2015.
Over five thousand young men and women engaged in petty trading and scraps dealing had their structures and homes polled down by a combined team of armed military and police led by the Accra Metropolitan Chief Executive, Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije.
Many people especially those from the northern extraction and human right activists have condemned the action by the Accra mayor accusing him of not having human face on the displaced persons.
The displaced arrived in the early hours on Monday at the Tamale Jubilee Park for onward departure to their various regions, districts and communities.
The NYPC played a facilitating role to bring the victims back to Tamale while SADA provided fares for them to get to their destinations.
Some as young as 14 years old, from Bolga in the Upper East region, were among the displaced people currently in Tamale.
Prior to their departure, the NYPCD’s director made it clear to them that, he was touched by their plight and had made arrangements with Accra mayor for one metro mass transit bus and three V.I.P Buses to transport women and children, in particular, and men willing to go to join the exodus.
However, some of the displaced did not believe Mr Yussif Hamidu because the previous groups that have arrived through government evacuation committee were given 200 Ghana cedis as their transport fare to their final destinations.
5 million cedes for displaced persons
Government has earmarked five million Ghana cedis for the displaced persons. The amount was expected to cover their transportation from Accra to their final destinations. A committee has, however, been put in place to ensure smooth transportation and is working accordingly. Each returnee has been given 100 Ghana cedis for transport fares.
Addressing them at the jubilee park, Northern regional Minister Alhaji Mohammed-Muniru Limuna told journalists that the committee would monitor the movement of the displaced and their resettlement in their various communities.
Alhaji Limuna dismissed claims that some of them are homeless saying they went to Accra only for greener pastures. “My own sister after I had sent her to learn how to sow and after she passed out, I provided her with a stall at Bulpela but she left it and went to Agbagbloshei,” the minister said.
Nonetheless, the minister said that government is committed in providing resettlement packages with the view of getting them sustained jobs in order that the factors that push them to Accra are solved.
Government, he said, is considering engaging the returnees in the restructured Ghana Youth Employment Entrepreneurial and Development Agency(GYEEDA) youth in agriculture program. Dress markers and hair-dressers according to Alhaji Limuna will also be assisted with some monies from Microfinance and Small Loans Center(MASLOC). This, he said, would ensure proper resettlements of all displaced persons.
Earlier in the morning, the Director of SADA in charge of Integrated Programmes, Dr Emmanuel Abeere told the returnees to exercise patience with NYPCD officials as his outfit makes greater effort to withdraw money for them. Dr Abeere told journalists that SADA was giving each person 40 Ghana cedis for transportation.
Dr Abeere said the authority has approved the support to the displaced persons because all the displaced fall under SADA catchment area.
Controversy on the journey and after arrival in Tamale
On their way to Tamale, some of the displaced people started demanding 2 hundred Ghana cedis from the NYPC director Yussif … despite his earlier announcement that there is no money to be given to anyone willing to come home.
The volunteer who could not control himself over accusations lost his temper and started raining insults on the returnees.
They accused him of trying to abscond two hundred Ghana cedis from each of them which they claimed was given to him by the government. Some of them claimed they have no place of abode.
Two pregnant women deliver on arrival in Tamale
Two pregnant women evicted by AMA delivered on Monday morning at about 5:am immediately they arrived. Zuweira Abukari was rushed to the central hospital which is closer to the Tamale jubilee park while the other was sent to the nearby house to be delivered.
Over 812 evictees have so far arrived in the northern region since the exercise occurred.
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