In spite of concerns expressed by some residents and road users about the position of a shrine standing in the middle of the old Winneba road in Accra, Traditional Leaders in Ga Mashie have refused to remove it for an ongoing project. This was after a high powered government delegation led by Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheik I.C. Quaye and City Mayor, Stanley Nii Adjiri Blankson met them to consider relocating the shrine standing in the middle of the old Winneba road which is undergoing some renovation works. When the delegation first called on the Traditional Leaders, they asked to be given ample time to do some consultation with the gods and their Elders to see if it would be possible to relocate the shrine to another place. Later, the Chiefs were said to have informed the government delegation that it would not be possible to relocate the said shrine. That notwithstanding, they agreed for the project to go on and asked the contractors, China Railway Wuju Corporation (CRWJ) to secure the shrine with a fence to prevent vehicles from coming into close contact with it. In order not to incur the wrath of the people and as part of government plans to preserve monuments and their heritage, the government delegation had no option but to oblige with the Traditional Leaders. The road is therefore being constructed around the shrine, which is currently occupied by a lunatic as his new found home. People had earlier expressed reservations about the position of the shrine, raising concerns that it could cause accidents when the road is completed. A Development Engineer at the Department of Urban Roads has been strenuously trying to justify the decision by his outfit and the contractors to leave the shrine untouched. Akwasi Nuamah said the decision to leave the shrine in the middle of the road was deliberate and that it was factored into the original design of the project. In his reaction, he sought to defuse perceptions being held by the public that it had the tendency to cause accidents. To prevent any such occurrences, he said the contractors have been asked to fence the shrine with what he described as a ‘new jersey barrier’. This he said would prevent any vehicle from coming into close contact with the shrine. He totally disagrees with those who hold the opinion that considering the position of the shrine in the middle of the road, it could cause rampant accidents on the road. Mr. Nuamah says this is not the first of its kind in the country hence there is no need to harbour fears about the position of the shrine, because for him, it could even serve as a tourist attraction. For this reason, he said there was no need to forcefully remove the shrine from its present place. The project is part of renovation works being carried out on a six-kilometre stretch of road from the High street, through Okaishie and the to Barnes road, all in Accra. The project is expected to be completed in eight months alongside renovation works being carried out on the bridge spanning the Korle lagoon along the beach road. Source: The Chronicle