Farmers on TDC lands would be adequately compensated - Abbey

Tema, July 23, GNA - Mr Joe Abbey, Acting Managing Director of the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) on Tuesday assured farmers on the Corporation's farm lands that they would be given adequate compensation whenever TDC decides to re-zone those lands for commercial and residential purposes.

Mr Abbey, whose assurance followed concerns raised during a demonstration by members of the Community 21 Landlords Association, pointed out that TDC had not yet taken any firm decision on the farm lands which it intended to develop.

He, therefore, gave the assurance that as soon as TDC came out with any such decision the affected farmers would be adequately compensated. The demonstrators who wore red bands and bore placards, accused TDC of re-allocating portions of the lands which they purchased as far back as 1992 to the Home Finance Company (HFC) for residential purposes. They alleged that TDC's refusal to convert their farm lands for residential purposes resulted in a legal action against the Corporation. Mr Abbey refuted the allegation and pointed out that the portion of land which TDC had allocated to HFC was not part of Community 21 lands.

He explained that following a Land Valuation Board report on lands in Communities 21 and 22 in 1997, TDC decided to develop Community 22 farm lands first and consequently compensated 38 affected farmers. The Acting MD reiterated that in the case of Community 21 farm lands, TDC was yet to take a concrete decision as to whether to develop it, and said if the Corporation finally came out with a firm decision to develop the farm lands all affected formers would receive compensation. In a petition to the Minister of Water Resources, Workers and Housing dated July 6, 2009, asking him to intervene in the matter, members of the Association assured the Minister of their preparedness to withdraw the case from court for amicable settlement.