Deputy Transport Minister Joyce Bawa Mogtari, has said government will consider compensating developers who have encroached on the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) lands.
“We are looking at paying compensation to some who are so close to our facilities that we cannot continue to maintain the properties within those particular places”.
Speaking to Joy FMs Kwakye Afreh Nuamah, Madam Mogtari said the lands which have been encroached were lands acquired by government but were not been put to use at the appropriate time
“Most of these lands are stool lands which were compulsorily acquired by government for public usage in some cases the lands were not used as quickly as government anticipated and what has happened is that the stool owners will reissue leases and reassign the lands to individuals”, she said.
She said government is resolved to ensuring that future lands acquired would be secured in such a way that they will not be resold.
Joyce Bawa Mogtari noted that some of these government lands were now being developed into high rise building, a situation aviation experts say is dangerous.
Joy FM’s Kwakye Afreh-Nuama said at the time of his visit to the site a 12-storey apartment building which would be housing over 100 tenants when completed was under construction.
Some developers, he said, have totally ignored the height restrictions prescribed by the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority.
An engineer at one of the project sites, Samuel Obeng told Afreh-Nuamah that more of such buildings would be constructed in the coming years.
Managing Director of the Ghana Airport Company Charles Asare said there has even been incidents of stray dogs roaming on the runway due to the closeness of residences to the KIA.
Over the past eight years the area has experienced sophisticated high-rise buildings, some of which are already occupied by tenants.
Mr Asare said the situation can put aircrafts in danger.
Source: Myjoyonline.com
