A joint operation by National Security, the Ghana Armed Forces, and the Ghana Police Service has led to the arrest of six individuals at the controversial China Mall construction site at Kenkey Factory in Koforidua. The arrests were made after the developers allegedly defied a stop-work order issued by the Eastern Regional Security Council (REGSEC).

Following the raid, National Security officials cordoned off the property, declared it a restricted area, and warned that anyone found loitering near the premises would face arrest.

The crackdown comes weeks after Eastern Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey inspected the project and ordered a halt to construction due to severe flooding and drainage concerns in the area.

Defiance of the Halt Order

According to authorities, National Security operatives initially raided the site around 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 11, during a heavy downpour, arresting a lone security guard.

The developers had reportedly resumed work after engaging the Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Nana Kwaku Boateng III, in an attempt to secure an intervention.

However, security authorities maintained that the developers must first complete required drainage reconstruction works before any construction on the mall could resume.

During a follow-up operation on Friday, June 12, security personnel arrested six workers on-site. Several other laborers fled into nearby bushes, while some of the Chinese developers locked themselves inside a building on the premises and refused to come out.

Environmental and Public Safety Concerns

The China Mall project has faced heavy public criticism from local residents and motorists.

The facility is being built on a riparian zone that previously served as a natural channel for stormwater from the Nsukwao stream and other local waterways.

Residents argue that the construction has significantly worsened flooding during heavy rains.

Before starting the project, the developers had agreed with REGSEC and the Koforidua Municipal Assembly to reconstruct the drainage system near the local traffic-light intersection to improve water flow.

Eastern Regional National Security Coordinator Francis Annoh-Dompreh condemned the developers' disregard for the local authorities, stating that security agencies will not tolerate actions that threaten public safety, regardless of the nationality of those involved.

He also cautioned Ghanaian workers against returning to the site while the stop-work order remains in force.