Today Esi Benewaaa, a Starr FM reporter, and I went to Old Fadama mentioned in my previous post and elsewhere online as Sodom and Gomorrah. The area within Old Fadama called June 4 was the latest area to be demolished, leaving residents displaced. This is a humanitarian crisis that is leaving over 50,000 homeless and the demolition is ongoing.

Here is the edited version of the story broadcasted on StarrFM on the evening news. The story was repackaged throughout the day with different interviews and angles. Please note that I don’t necessarily agree with some word choices like “hopeless” or “helpless” mentioned in the story and that news processes are quite different here than back in the U.S.

It was a long process of observation, interviewing, collecting audio, video and stills, drafting the teasers and reports, and editing. This story is something very important and I will share more researched and personal views on it later but after a 13-hour workday I leave you with some of my raw iphone images. Please continue to do your own research and follow the story on multiple media platforms.

Below is the online version of the story. Here is a link to the article.

06/07/2015

SODOM AND GOMORRAH

Heavy police presence at Old Fadama as displaced residents threaten to stop ongoing demolition

There is heavy police presence at Old Fadama as displaced residents threaten to face off with city authorities. City authorities are pulling down more structures in the slum popularly known as Sodom and Gomorrah June 4 area despite attempts to halt the demolition.

“There was some resistance but we managed to stop it. We continue to ensure that the exercise goes on smoothly. We can see today everything is quiet and calm here.” DCOP Christian Tetteh Yohuno

Some of the displaced residents have returned to the area to stop the exercise. Starr Esi Benewah Nyame visited the June 4 area and reports most residents couldn’t hold themselves together. They looked on helplessly as their homes were being demolished. Here are some residents

“All of my machines, my materials, all lost. I don’t know what to do now. I’m a tailor. I’ve lost everything in my shop.” Mohammed Salaou

“Suddenly we just hear pack your things, everybody. The crater started destroying everything. Even now, we don’t know what to do now. They didn’t even give us any time, they said 20 minutes. Everybody pack your things…” Ibrahim Bashiru

A group of slum dwellers calling themselves the Slum Union of Ghana has vowed to stop the demolition of more structures at Sodom and Gomorrah.

“We are going to mobilize everybody to come out to stand where he’s going to start the demolishing. He will kill us first before he does the demolishing. We are ready for that.” 

Reporters: Esi Benewaa/Ashley Cordes