Private legal practitioner Victoria Bright has called for a review of Ghana’s development permitting system following the demolition of structures at Laboma Beach in Accra.
According to her, authorities must establish how the structures came to be constructed in an area identified as part of the protected buffer zone of the Kpeshie Lagoon.
Speaking on the Joy News AM Show on Monday, September 14, Ms Bright questioned whether the affected structures were built without authorisation or had received approval from relevant institutions.
She said if the structures were illegal, those responsible for putting them up should be held accountable. However, if the developers obtained the necessary permits, the institutions that granted those approvals must explain the basis on which they were issued.
Her comments follow the demolition exercise at Laboma Beach after the Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) gave occupants of the Kpeshie Lagoon buffer zone a 21-day ultimatum to vacate the area.
The directive was issued on August 7 as part of efforts to clear developments considered to be within the protected area.
Ms Bright argued that the situation raises broader concerns about the effectiveness of Ghana’s permitting and regulatory institutions.
She noted that the authorities must go beyond demolishing the structures and investigate how such developments were allowed to emerge in the first place.
The lawyer also acknowledged the need for authorities to take action where developments pose risks to human life, contribute to flooding or interfere with natural waterways.
However, she stressed that the demolition should also trigger an examination of the institutions responsible for granting development approvals.
Her position comes amid growing public debate over the Laboma demolition, with questions being raised about the legality of the structures, the protection of the Kpeshie Lagoon and the responsibility of agencies involved in development control.
The issue, she suggested, should therefore not end with the demolition exercise but should lead to a broader review of the processes through which development permits are issued and monitored in Ghana.