A finance and economic policy analyst, Senyo Hosi has called for accountability from public officials who allowed developments in areas that may have breached safety and planning requirements, arguing that demolishing structures alone does not address the decisions that led to their construction.
Speaking on Joy News’ Newsfile, Hosi questioned why authorities had permitted developments at La Beach over the years if they were now considered illegal or unsuitable.
He said the state should investigate the officials responsible for approving or allowing such developments, particularly where structures were built in areas identified as flood-prone.
“Who were the people who took that decision when we knew that it was flood?” he asked.
Hosi argued that public officials who failed to enforce planning and safety rules should also be held responsible, rather than leaving affected residents and businesses to bear the consequences.
“Don’t break down the building. Then the state must go and bring all the people who took the decision willfully and breached the rules of safety that we as people are entitled to,” he said.
He also stressed that La Beach had developed over many years as a recognised centre for recreation, tourism and commercial activity, making it necessary for authorities to explain how the area was managed before the demolitions.
Hosi said the area required deliberate and organised planning to improve its economic value, but maintained that such an exercise should not be carried out arbitrarily.
He called for a process that gives affected people advance notice of what must be removed, allows the relevant institutions and community representatives to participate, and provides clarity on the intended redevelopment.
“If you want to streamline it, plan properly,” he said.
Hosi added that a well-organised approach would allow businesses and local authorities to understand the proposed changes and prepare for them, instead of being confronted with sudden action.
