Government to pay compensation to Ho landowners

Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, Volta Regional Minister, on Wednesday, assured landowners of lands earmarked for the establishment of the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) that Government would pay all compensation due them.

He, therefore, appealed to them to exercise restraint while preparations were made to publish the Executive Instrument to pave the way for the payment of the compensations.

Mr. Afotey Agbo gave the assurance at a stakeholders meeting with the authorities of the University, Land Commission and landowners in Ho.

The landowners at a press conference recently expressed worry about what they described as Government’s “unwillingness” to pay compensations due them.

Mr. Afotey Agbo said agitations would not solve the misunderstanding, and asked the landowners to be patient.

He said the establishment of a University would open up the region for accelerated development, and urged the landowners to see themselves as partners in development and support the initiative.

“Government has not taken your land for free. Compensations would be paid to you, but we beg you to go down deep into your hearts and see the University as your own and support us,” Mr Afotey Agbo said.

He assured that the Volta Regional Coordinating Council would ensure that all persons who deserve compensations were paid.

Mrs Vida Dzobo, spokesperson for the landowners, said some of the landowners were more over 80-years-old and could not wait for 20 or 30 more years for the compensations to be paid.

She, therefore, urged the university authorities to ensure that Government published the Executive Instrument in time to forestall future agitations.

“In the shortest possible time, we want Government to pay the compensations for the land and properties destroyed to end all agitations,” she said.

Mr. Gershon Kwame Tsrah, Volta Regional Lands Officer, said the state was following due process to pay compensations, adding that six months after the publication of the Executive Instrument the landowners could put in their claims.