UHAS Land owners to demonstrate over unpaid compensation

Individuals, whose lands were taken for the construction of permanent campus for University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS) at Sokode-Lokoe near Ho in the Volta region, are up in arms against government for long delay in the payment of their compensations.

Government through an Executive Instrument (EI) compulsorily acquired the lands for the first public university in the region, which was established an Act of Parliament in 2011.

Though the construction of permanent structures on the land, which begun in 2013 have been completed this year, the land owners are yet to be compensated.

To this end, the individuals who have come together under the UHAS land owners association have resolved to demonstrate at the permanent campus on Wednesday, November 18, same day President Mahama is expected to commission the campus.

“We are compelled to demonstrate on Wednesday, November 18 at the university premises to make government and the general public aware of the unfair and illegal treatment of UHAS land owners, with regards to the compensation which we are constitutionally owed,” the group said in a press release on Monday.

According to the aggrieved land owners’ efforts since 2013 to get their compensation from government have not been successful, though they have submitted all document required for payment to the relevant authorities.

They also stated that, a promise made by the regional minister, Helen Ntoso at a meeting with them in June, 2015 that their compensations will be factored into the 2016 budget, has also not been fulfilled, as there was no mention of their compensation package during the recent budget presentation by the Finance minister, Mr. Seth Terkper.

“In a response to our threat to go on a demonstration, the director of the Volta regional coordinating council invited the association to a meeting at the regional minister’s residence on 25th June, 2015. At the said meeting the regional minister promised that, the compensation owed us will be added to the provisions in the 2016 national budget.”

“Recently, the 2016 budget statement was made public without any mention of UHAS land owners association’s compensation. This necessitated the press release to officially show our displeasure about the failure of government to adhere to article 20(2) of the constitution,” the statement signed by the association chairman, Mr. Benoni Glalah emphasized.