The number of homeless people living under the Kwame Nkrumah Inter­change at Circle in Accra is soaring.

Gradually, the pavements and median section under the Circle Inter­change particularly between the Kaneshie Station and SSNIT Informal Sector, is being turned into homes for the destitute includ­ing men, women, and children as well as the old and the young, The Ghanablogs has observed.

The destitute are becoming a threat to commuters and drivers as they wash, cook, and sleep in the spaces under the overpass.

The children among the destitute are also becoming a nuisance to commuters and passersby as they forcibly beg for money and alms.

Their presence create garbage under the overpass as they litter and throw rubbish around, which blocked the flood drains along the interchange.

Some also set fire and burn rubbish around the concrete columns supporting the overpass, and this according to structural engineers can affect the structural integrity of the overpass.

he concrete on some parts of the col­umns are peeling off with the metals in them protruding.

Openly, some of them smoke, urinate on the concrete columns of the overpass, engage in all manner of activities which mar the beauty and serenity of the place.

A pungent, repugnant and piercing stench greet passersby, drivers and individuals who use the spaces under the overpass.

In spite of the fact that, stones had been laid on sections under the bridge to ostensi­bly prevent the use of the space, the destitute have found ingenious ways to use the space as they use the stones as bed-shafts to lay their beds.

Ghanablogs had observed that the destitute had laid their beds under the over­pass to scramble for space.

 

In an interview with Mr Obeng, one of the occupants under the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange, he said he had been forced to live under the overpass because he had no money to rent a room.

“I have been on the streets for 17 years. I am a chainsaw operator and I was arrested for transporting cargo of wooden slabs to Accra. I was arrested by military patrol and all the items in the cargo was seized and in the process I lost all my fortune,” he stated.

Mr Obeng said he became debt-ridden and was forced to relocate to Accra to prevent his debtors from pestering him for their monies.

Mary, a bright and ambitious 20-year-old, also told The Ghanaian Times that she dropped out of Senior High School due to financial constraints and relocated to Accra to make ends meet.

She said she was engaged in head portering (Kayayei) to eke out a living, but could not rent a room because of the meagre salary she earned.

That, Mary said, was the reason why she had to seek shelter under the Kwame Nkru­mah Interchange.

Aminatu Zainab, a mother of two, who has been in the area for the past four years, told The Ghanaian Times that she came from Gushegu in the Northern Region to Accra to make a living, after the death of her husband.

She said life had been difficult for her since she came to Accra and had to perch under the interchange with her children.

“What I make in a day through head por­tering is not enough to fend for my children and myself,” Ms Zainab said.Kofi Aboagye, another squatter, told The Ghanaian Times that his life took a drastic turn following a devastating accident that led to the amputation of his right foot.

He said after the accident, his wife left him because he couldn’t fend for the family.

“As a result, I relocated to Accra and was forced to live on the street and beg for alms to survive,” Aboagye stated.

Department of Social Welfare

When contacted on the issue, the Head of Foster Care Unit of the Department of Social Welfare, Mr Samuel Anaglate, ac­knowledged the problem, and said it was the mandate and responsibility of the various Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assem­blies (MMDAs) to deal with the problem.

He said Social Welfare staff had been posted to each of the MMDAs and were sup­posed to deal with such issues.

AMA

The Head of Public Affairs of the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA), Mr Gilbert Ankrah, said the AMA was aware of the problem and was working to address it.

He said the Assembly in the past took them out from the place, but the squatters had returned.

“AMA is waiting for a new Chief Execu­tive to take office, after which we will imple­ment new measures to tackle the problem,” Mr Ankrah stated.