Govt starts payment of compensation to farmers on Gas project

Government on Thursday started the payment of compensation to farmers whose economic crops were destroyed during the demarcation of land for the proposed Domunli Gas Project in the Jomoro District.

Dr George Sipa Yankey, Chief Executive of the Ghana National Gas Company, which is disbursing the funds, announced this at a sensitization workshop on the Project for farmers in the Jomoro District at Half Assini.

He said a total of GH?53,631 would be shared among the 166 farms. About forty farmers received their cheques on the first day.

However, Dr Yankey explained that those whose economic crops would be destroyed on the land for the project would be paid their full compensation when the project starts soon.

About 19 square kilometers land in the Domunli Enclave has been acquired for the project.

Dr Yankey expressed gratitude to the farmers for their patience for both the company and the Government over the delay in the payment of their compensation.

The District Chief Executive for Jomoro, Mr. Sylvester Dadie, urged the beneficiary farmers to invest their monies into income generating ventures to enhance their socio-economic status.

They should consider the money as seed capital to offer sustainable and alternative sources to their economic crops sacrificed for the project.

Nana Ayebie Amihere VI, chief of Half Assini who chaired the programme on behalf of Awulae Annor Adjaye III, Omanhene of Western Nzema Traditional Area, thanked the Government and the company for the compensation; saying, it would relieve the farmers of their constraints.

He urged them to ensure the prompt payment of the compensation to be paid to land owners and farmers who have economic crops on the land for the project, to ensure peace and harmony among all and sundry.

Most of the beneficiaries later told the GNA that the compensation paid did not commensurate with the economic values of their coconut and oil palm destroyed but they could not protest.

Meanwhile, the Gas Company has opened a Payment Desk at the Offices of the Jomoro District Assembly to issue cheques to the rest of the affected farmers.**