Former Greater Accra Regional Minister Titus Glover has urged the government to balance its efforts to reclaim waterways with the need to protect livelihoods and investments affected by the demolition of structures at Laboma Beach.
He said while he supported the removal of structures deliberately constructed on waterways, the government should consider alternative technical solutions where businesses have made substantial investments and provide employment for residents.
The demolitions at the Laboma enclave of the Kpeshie Lagoon were carried out on Sunday, September 13, as part of efforts to address flooding and reclaim waterways in the Greater Accra Region.
However, Mr Glover said the exercise could have significant economic and social consequences if the livelihoods of people operating businesses in the area were not adequately considered.
Speaking to Citi News, the former minister said the government should approach such interventions with a “human face”, particularly at a time when many young people and graduates were struggling to secure employment.
“Let’s look at these things with a human face. Government cannot provide jobs. There are a lot of people who are asking for jobs,” he said.
He noted that the private sector provided an important avenue for employment, particularly for young people who could not find opportunities within the public sector.
According to him, the demolition of businesses in which individuals had invested could worsen the employment challenge if alternative arrangements were not considered.
“There are a lot of people who are asking for jobs. They are knocking on the doors of politicians every day. Look at the youth and the number of graduates who are churned out every year,” he said.
Mr Glover argued that people unable to secure government employment often resorted to private businesses and entrepreneurship, making it necessary for authorities to carefully assess the implications of demolishing such enterprises.
“They can’t find space in government jobs, and so if people have invested in these things, and so if the only thing we can do is to demolish, we have a problem,” he added.
SUPPORT FOR WATERWAY CLEARANCE
Despite his concerns about the Laboma exercise, Mr Glover clarified that he supported government action against structures that had deliberately been constructed on waterways.
“I will support the government where people have deliberately built on waterways,” he said.
He, however, maintained that authorities should consider the circumstances surrounding individual structures and explore technical interventions where possible before resorting to demolition.
His comments add to growing calls for authorities to strike a balance between environmental and flood-control measures and the protection of legitimate livelihoods and investments in affected communities.
