According to our correspondent in Abidjan, Fanny Naoro-Kabré, the Plateau council has condemned what it calls an “unilateral action” by the Abidjan district, which led to the destruction of nearly 350 million CFA francs worth of recently completed investments.

The council now fears that further developments along the eastern shore of the Ebrié Lagoon may also be demolished. The municipal authorities have announced plans to file an administrative appeal to halt the demolitions and seek compensation.

The district, however, claims it is acting within its legal authority. It states its goal was to “free up public land that had been unlawfully occupied” and adds that it has a development plan for the area.

This is not the first time tensions have flared between the Abidjan district and the Plateau council. The two entities frequently clash over perceived encroachments on each other’s jurisdictions.

Some analysts suggest these disputes are also rooted in political tensions. The district is led by Ibrahim Cissé Bacongo, the executive secretary of the ruling RHDP party, while the Plateau council is headed by Jacques Gabriel Ehouo, a PDCI deputy-mayor.