STOP WORK-ASHANTI REGIONAL MINISTER ORDERS GAS STATION DEVELOPER

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The new Ashanti Regional Minister, Peter Anarfi-Mensah, has summoned the Regional Directors of the Environmental Protection Agency and Town and Country Planning Department to his office next week to explain why official permits have been issued for the construction of petrol filling stations and a gas station at very questionable locations in the Kumasi metropolis. 

The locations of the proposed fuel stations in question are not just in water ways, but most importantly, some of them very close to residential areas and schools thereby posing serious threat to human lives. 

The Regional Minister got to know of this development when he toured some flood-prone suburbs of the once Garden City. 


Mr. Anarfi-Memnsah, who assumed office two weeks ago, visited areas such as Asawase, Sepe, Aboabo, Bohyen and Adoato-Adumenu. 

At Asawase, the Regional Minister was upset to learn that one Baffuor Kyei was constructing a petrol filling station within the water course for which part of the main drainage system has been filled thereby diverting the course of the water.

 He directed the owner to stop the work and produce the permit that allows him to put up the facility at that location and warned that failure to comply with the directive by Monday could force the Regional authorities to take an unpleasant action. 

The situation was not any different at Bohyen where another man whose name was given only as Boakye is also constructing an LPG station. 

The location of the station is not just by the main Bohyen-Barekese road, but very close to the Islamic Senior High School whose authorities have already made complaints for a stop or relocation of the project. 

Additionally, the Regional Minister was told that the location of the gas proposed gas station is government land part of which are residential accommodation for public and civil servants as well as nurses/s quarters while it is also nearer to a stream. 

The property owner was also asked to stop work and submit all the legal documents covering the construction of the project by the same Monday of face punitive sanctions. 

At Adoato-Adumesu, it was realized that a church had succeeded in almost completing the construction of its temple right in the course of a river thereby obstructing free flow of the water. 

Mr. Anarfi-Mensah used the opportunity to visit a household at Dichemso from which a man was electrocuted by a falling electric wire during rainfall last Wednesday. He consoled the widow of the deceased. 

The Regional Minister was told by an elderly land lady, Madam Akua Serwaa that the construction of a car washing bay very close to a river there forced the river to also divert its course thereby causing flooding in the area anytime it rains. 

During the tour, it was observed that most of the rivers and drainage systems are heavily silted and therefore require desilting to allow for free flow of water so as to reduce the level of flooding in the areas concerned.

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