Ho: Residents protests construction of gas station in a residential area

The walls of the ongoing project are just about one metre away from some of the houses.

Apart from that, the erection of the walls of the station has resulted in persistent flooding in the area, making life unbearable for the residents.

The residents last Thursday (May 29) took to the streets to protest against what they called the wrong choice of site of the project, and vowed to resist its continuation.

A spokesman of the residents, Abel Youngs, told Graphic Online that that the project started in 2018 in defiance of objections by the residents.

He said in 2023 the residents wrote to the then Volta Regional Minister, Dr Archibald Yao Letsa, who asked the developer to halt the project.

Mr Youngs said the residents also had an engagement with representatives of the developer whose name he gave as David Debre on the issue and made clear their stance against the project.

“We told them we are concerned about our safety and how water now fills our homes in the area,” the spokesman added.

 Worst of all, Mr Youngs said the station was sited beside a power transformer, making it a recipe for disaster.

He said the residents also met with officials of the Environmental Protection Agency, and regional command of the Ghana National Fire Service to ensure the project was halted.

Mr Youngs said the residents were now left with more questions than answers with the recent resumption of the project in the swampy area.

He said the developer had already sunk two tanks at the site surreptitiously, raising greater fears and anxieties among the residents.

When contacted, the Municipal Chief Executive, Stephen Adom said the permit was issued to the developer some years ago, “before we took office.”

He said the assembly had already invited the developer and his team to the assembly for discussions as a part of investigations into the matter.

“We are looking into the matter meticulously,” the MCE added.