Timber contractor appeals for early compensation

Mr Kwabena Owusu Dome, a timber contractor, has appealed for early payment of compensation to communities whose properties were destroyed in the course of reconstructing the Nsawam/Suhum stretch of the Accra/ Kumasi highway.

He said the delay in the payment of compensation was impacting negatively on the lives of residents in those communities.

Mr Dome was speaking to the GNA after angry protestors on Wednesday blocked the Suhum stretch of the Accra/ Kumasi road to press their demand for compensation for their properties which were destroyed.

The action of the demonstrators brought traffic on the highway to a standstill.

The demonstrators held placards with inscriptions, “dust is killing us, mud is swallowing us, pay us now and we need our compensation or…..”

Mr Dome told the GNA that the communities had a letter from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning signed by the sector Minister to the effect that compensation had been paid to them but they had not received anything.

He said the people were suffering since some of them did not have anywhere to “lay their heads” and were depending on friends to survive.

Mr Dome said those whose farms were affected did not have any job presently since they lacked the finances to acquire new land to continue their farming and were therefore depending on others to survive.

He said if by November 21 they were not paid the compensation, they would stop all the contractors from working on the road.

Mr Samuel Fleischer-Kwabi, the Suhum Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), showed to the GNA a copy of a letter from the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, dated October 16 authorizing the Controller and Account General to release GHC 4,514,353.55 for compensation to the persons affected by the construction of the project.

He promised to make a follow up to the Controller and Accountant General’s Department and appealed to the people to exercise maximum restraint.