Gov't to compensate victims of Hohoe clashes

President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the Government would soon come out with an incentive package for persons who lost their relatives and property in the 2012 Clashes between Muslims and the Traditional Council in Hohoe.

   

Under the package, the palace of Togbe Gabusu would be renovated, while families and individuals who lost their property and relatives would be appropriately compensated.

   

President Mahama announced this at Hohoe, as part of his four-day campaign tour of the Volta Region, and said the compensation was in fulfillment of the recommendations of a committee that was formed after the clashes.

   

The Committee made some recommendations after carrying out thorough investigations into the causes of the clashes.

   

About four years ago, clashes erupted between the Zongo Community in Hohoe and the Traditional Council over so many issues, resulting in the death of two persons and the destruction of property in the Municipality.

   

Subsequently, the Government set up a committee to investigate the causes of the clashes, which recommended payment of those compensations to the victims among others.

   

President Mahama commended them for the peaceful co-existence after the clashes and urged them to forge ahead for the growth and development of the area.

“I am so happy that there has been peace after the settlement some few years back and I want to commend you for respecting the recommendations that Government made after the clashes,” President Mahama added.

  

On Agriculture, President Mahama said farmers in the Volta Region would be empowered to step up cocoa and yam production since they had the potentials and the comparative advantage in those areas.

   

He said the Government would, for example, facilitate the clearing of aging cocoa trees and support them with improved seeds that could start providing abundant harvests after three years of planting.

   

The roads in Hohoe, President Mahama promised, would be completed in earnest to facilitate movement in the area and along the Eastern corridor up to parts of the Northern and Upper East Regions.

   

He said development was a process and not a project, therefore, those who had not received their share of development should exercise restraint for their turns.

“I would like to appeal to all of you to exercise restraint because development is in stages …as all people cannot get what they want at the same time.”

   

President Mahama said his second term in office would be devoted to agricultural development and job creation and called on the people to vote massively for the vision to be accomplished.

   

He admonished the people against voting 'skirt and blouse,' thus voting for Parliamentary candidates not from the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as that could create numerical challenges for the party's legislators.

“We don't want skirt and blouse this year, we want overall dresses,” he stated.

 

On health, President Mahama said the establishment of the Public Health School of the University of Health and Allied Science at Hohoe was on course and would soon start admitting students.

   

Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the General Secretary of the NDC, appealed to all those who had registered but were resident in different regions and countries, to go home and exercise their franchise on December 7.

   

Togbega Dedza Attakora VII, the Paramount Chief of Alavanyo, who spoke on behalf of all the nine paramountcies in the Hohoe Municipality, commended President Mahama for all the development projects and appealed to him to expedite action on the road projects.