The Ga Traditional Council has opposed an ongoing construction of a hostel in the region for head porters also known as kayayei.
According to the statement, the permission of the council was not informed on such a project and other projects being commenced hence, “its members unanimously resolve to oppose this project and condemn same as not being in the interest of the Ga state.”
In order to keep its promise of providing decent accommodation, the government has begun the construction of a 600-bed kayayei hostel facility at Agbogbloshie.
In a press statement, the Ga Traditional Council demanded the ongoing construction be ceased adding that the project is an affront to the development of the Ga state.
“Under no circumstance should such a project proceed on the land at Agbogbloshie in the centre of Accra to the prejudice of “Gamei” the statement furthered.
In essence, the council wants the Kayayei hostel project to be abandoned and portions of the land to be given to the council as promised for the construction of a “needed facility.”
“Should any person or group wish to proceed with such a project of building hostel facilities for ‘kayayei’, a new site outside the city should be sought” portions of the statement read.
“The Ga Traditional Council under the leadership of its President, Ga Mantse and the people of the Ga state, remain vehemently opposed to this Project” the statement stressed.
This move hinted at by the government to build a hostel facility for the kayayei comes as an implementation of a campaign promise made by President Akufo-Addo before his government was voted into power in 2016.
According to him, the intention to build the facility was to provide decent accommodation to the kayayei and save them from sleeping under perilous living conditions.
