The Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A) has requested the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (A.M.A) to stop the construction of a huge pen to house livestock at Abossey Okai, a suburb of Accra.

According to the EPA, if the AMA does not heed to its request, it would have no choice but to seek legal remedies in court as communications sent to the Assembly had still not been responded to.

The AMA in collaboration with Sewage Ghana Limited, is building the market to relocate livestock sellers at the Lavender Hill.

This is to enable the completion of the Accra Storm Water Drainage Alleviation Project at James Town, where the sellers are currently occupying.

JOYNEWS’ Beatrice Adu visited both sites and reported that at James Town near Ga Mashie palace, hundreds of traders are selling livestock  and doing brisk business.

The AMA is relocating them, noting that the activities of the traders there are obstructing the efforts of the Assembly at properly carrying out its storm drainage project.

However, the traders, who have been operating there for decades, are not enthused about the decision of AMA.

Additionally, at  Abossey Okai, the AMA is putting up an enclosure to keep livestock. The structure is close to the International Central Gospel Church (ICGC) and meant to relocate the livestock sellers from James Town.

The market is occupying a-one-and-half acres of land with sheds constructed into the wall.

But authorities of the church are not happy about the relocation of the livestock market, saying it could lead to the spread of insanitary conditions in the vicinity.

The traders on the other hand, have expressed their readiness to relocate to their new place as they believed the new market will serve them better.

Meanwhile, the EPA says the AMA does not have any permit on the building of the market and failure by authorities to comply with the warning will lead to taking legal action against the Assembly.

According to Ebenezer Sampong, head of planning, monitoring and evaluation at the EPA, his outfit had written a letter to the AMA and to date have not had any response from the Assembly.

"Our lawyers are looking at the situation", he stressed.

Mr. Sampong noted that the structure put up by AMA needs to first of all be granted with "an environmental permit in accordance with the Environmental Assessment Regulations 1999, LI.1652".

EPA indicated that they are concerned about the impact the activities of the livestock market will have on the surrounding area, particularly, with respect to  the proposed project, which is aimed at cleaning up the whole area and restoring the lagoon.

Additionally, the EPA is also concerned about the people it would attract into the area as problems with slums such as Sodom and Gomorrah  had not been solved.