VRCC has no problems with lands earmarked for university project- Minister

Ho, March 4, GNA - The Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council (VRCC) said on Thursday that it followed the appropriate traditional processes and consultations to acquire lands for the proposed University of Health and Allied Sciences.

Mr Joseph Amenowode, Regional Minister said in Ho at a press conference that the VRCC and its agencies duly consulted and got the consent of the Sokode-Lokoe, Ziavi, Hlefi, Adaklu-Akuete, Fodome and Gbi-Atabu families to obtain the lands.

"The due processes have been followed and we are now left with the rightful state land agencies to take up the matter leading to the proper acquisition of the land and eventual payment of compensation to the rightful land owners," he stressed.

The press conference was in reaction to a media report that suggested that government had not acquired any land for the proposed university.

The publication alleged that owners of the Sokode-Lokoe land on which President John Evans Atta Mills performed the sod cutting ceremony on Monday February 7, had no idea that it has been earmarked for the project.

Representatives of the Kokroko family of Sokode-Gbogarme, owners of the Sokode-Lokoe land were present at the press conference. Mr Amenowode said on January 4, Dr Winfred K Narcor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and Secretary of the Kokroko family Land University Project Advisory Committee wrote to assure the VRCC that after meeting 93the Kokroko family and clan members and the chiefs and elders of Sokode on December 27, 2010, all parties enthusiastically embraced the project and are eagerly waiting its commencement".

"The Committee therefore appealed to the VRCC to perform the customs for entry into the Kokroko family land," which enabled President Mills to cut the sod for the commencement of the project, Mr Amenowode explained.

He said the Lands Commission was in discussion with plots of land acquired from individuals for the project. Mr Amenowode said the university would commence in September as scheduled using facilities in a number of academic institutions in Ho and Hohoe.

"We are already inundated with request for sabbatical and fulltime and part-time appointments from Ghanaian professors in and outside the country," he said. "We don't expect to wait till the construction work is complete before we start", Mr Amenowode said. "Anybody who is interested in getting information on the university should endeavour to contact the Volta Regional Co-ordinating Council", Mr Amenowode advised.