Adentan Land Compensation Hits Snag


Justice Apau
The payment of compensation to owners of Adentan lands in Accra by the government has been stalled because there are currently multiple claims over who actually owns the lands.

Kwesi K. Bentsi-Enchil, Chief Valuer in charge of compensation schedule at the Land Valuation Division of the Lands Commission, yesterday told the Commission of Enquiry investigating the payment of judgement debts that 32 claimants are chasing 2068.99 acres of land which is occupied by the Adentan Housing project.

The Agbawe Family led by Nii Kpobi Asawa II, had petitioned the commission presided over by Justice Yaw Apau of the Court of Appeal, claiming the government needed to compensate them for 1,283.11 acres of land taken from them.

‘The Agbawe family per the records made the claim in October 1993. The original acquisition was made in 1974 and amended in 1991 and further amended in 1992 covering a total 2068.99 acres. It is covered under E.I. 15. Originally it was E.I. 125 of 1974 and E.I. 19 of 1991,’ the Chief Valuer testified.

He said although the net area for the Agbawe Family claim stood at 1,283.11 acres, it conflicted 26 other claims submitted per the proprietary plan.

When Justice Apau enquired whether the acquisitions were in respect of the same stretch of land, Mr. Bentsi-Enchil said ‘unfortunately, the Act itself does not specify the basis for the amendment of the acquisitionIt will require picking up the plans and studying it.’

He said the 2068.99 acres was valued in 1994 at ¢21.7billion adding ‘the Agbawe Family claim itself was for a total of 1395.11 acres but the deductions out of that are either based on court judgements or evidence of some claims rooted in Agbawe grants.’

He said the division was not aware that any compensation had been paid even though in 1999, an application was made for a release of ¢2.6 billion in respect of the Aggrey Cattle Limited claim for 498.32 acres.

He said the division could not confirm whether a claim had been received from the Okataba Family who are also laying claim to the land and explained that it was due to the fact that the names stated on the proprietary plans did not indicate the families.

‘It is possible that a family name on the proprietary plan may be on behalf the Okataba Family but as the records stand now it is difficult to sayThere are a total of 32 claims and I need to read up the file to establish whether any one of them is acting on behalf of the Okataban Family.’

He added, ‘I know for instance that Nungua has a claim, La has a claim and a couple of families and secondary interest claims based on grants.’

By William Yaw Owusu & Rebecca Adwoa Solomon

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