GRIDCo pays full compensation to Paga land owners after Atinka FM’s exposé

Land owners at Zenga a community in Paga who had not been compensated after their plots of land got affect in traversed communities by GRIDCO in the ongoing 225 kV Bolgatanga – Ouagadougou interconnection construction project have been paid full compensations after reports by Atinka News.

Disclosing the information to Atinka News amidst joy, one of the compensated land owners, Zakariya Muhammed, said, "I was called on Friday, 7th October, 2017 by GRIDCO officials to come to their construction office in Navrongo. I was at Pusiga by then so I asked my wife to go on my behalf. When she got there, she presented my indenture, land documents and my passport. Afterwards, a cheque for an amount of Ghc 14,784.00 was given to her for compensation for my two plots of land that have been affected," .

The Assemblyman the Zenga electoral Area, Azimlogo Iddrisu in a phone conversation with our reporter, Senyalah Castro Cazo, thanked Atinka News for giving their grievances space on their huge platforms and urged Atinka News to continue doing reports centered on fighting for the rights of others.

" The officers from GRIDCO called me after the story broke on all Atinka News platforms and asked why we had to involve Atinka News in the issue. They were visibly disturbed that the issues were on the news. They were virtually shaking". Mr Azimlogo said.

" It took them less than a week to compensate my people after years of 'back and forth' talks and months of complains…. I will want to thank you and your news outlet, Atinka News, for giving us some time on your news to talk about our grievances that has brought results. God bless you to continue your good work of fighting for the rights of others. " he continued.

It will be recalled that Atinka News made publications of a story on September 25, 2017 about aggrieved land owners in Paga-Zenga under the Bolgatanga -Ouagadougou interconnection Project who had not been given compensation for their lands.

The Bolgatanga – Ouagadougou interconnection project is a World Bank funded project with a total transmission line stretch of 210 km. When completed, it is expected to among other benefits export electricity and improve power exchanges among countries in the West African sub-region.

It also seeks to create more than 300 skilled and unskilled jobs for local residents during the construction and operations.