The policeman restraining the workers
A scuffle broke out at the Flower Port Junction when Kwasi Amoako-Atta, Minister of Roads and Highways, inspected the construction of the Spintex underground tunnel that would link the area to East Legon.
Feda Natour, the Chief Engineer of SONITRA, who briefed the Minister on the progress of work, said the excavators on the other side of the road were hindering their work and pleaded with the Minister to ensure their evacuation.
In that regard, the Minister and his entourage went to the site where the excavators were located.
Fortunately, the owner of the excavators was there, so the Minister gave him a two-week ultimatum to evacuate his equipment since any delay would incur extra cost to the government.
However, the owner, whose name was given as Arrey, was quite rude to the Minister, saying how does the Minister expect him to remove the over 50 equipment in two weeks.
Arrey also claimed to be a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and wondered why he was being treated inhumanely.
This resulted in hot verbal exchanges between the Minister and Arrey.
The verbal exchanges turned into a scuffle when two employees of the owner of the excavators joined the fray, and the bodyguard of the Minister fired two warning shots.
The Minister told the media that he would use the sovereign power of the state to ensure that the right thing was done.
He said the excavators were within the road reservation area and that they were squatters and would not allow them to hinder the progress of work.
GNA