Some residents of Ashiem, in the Sekondi-Takoradi metropolis, are demanding compensation from management of the Ghana Railway Company (GRC). These are residents whose lands have been affected by ongoing rail lines construction through the community.
The angry residents say they will be compelled to prevent Amandi Constructions Limited, the contractor in charge of the project, from continuing with work if their demands are not met as a matter of urgency.
They say they are fed up with numerous stories told them by management of the company.
They believe halting the project will be the last resort for them to be heard.
“GRC management should not push us to take the law into our own hands and then turn round accusing us of being unpatriotic or disrespectful,” they said.
No compensation
The spokesperson of the residents, Kobena Acquah, told the Daily Statesman that the lands were taken about four years ago without any compensation given them. He recalled that somewhere in 2018, management informed them of government’s plan to construct rail lines through their community, with a firm promise to compensate any resident whose house or land would be affected by the project.
According to the spokesperson, this promise was not promptly fulfilled when construction works began. He said it took numerous agitations and petitions before occupants of affected houses were compensated in November 2019. Similar promise was made to those whose lands had been affected, that compensation would be paid to them by December that same year.
He noted, however, that the management had refused to honour the promise almost three years later. He said, on the contrary, the company keeps giving excuses such as inability to pass a Legislative Instrument to back the payment.
The spokesperson said this is unfair since his group spent hard earned monies in purchasing the affected lands for farming or building, and will not relent in fighting for compensation.
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