Developers encroach on Ho Airport land

Estate developers and some individuals have started encroaching on the acquired land for the proposed Volta Regional Airport in Ho.

Not even the huge concrete pillars mounted on the land with very legible inscriptions indicating when the land was acquired by the government have deterred the encroachers.

This came to light when the Minister of Transport, Mrs Dzifa Aku Attivor, visited the site last Monday.

The minister, therefore, cautioned all those undertaking developments within the acquired land not to expect any compensation after their structures had been demolished.

She also tasked the district assembly to ensure that there was no further development on the land.

Mrs Attivor, who was accompanied by the Volta Regional Minister, Nii Ofotey Agbo, and officials of the Ghana Airports Company, Land Commission and heads of various security agencies in the region expressed worry about recent developments where people rushed to erect structures on lands earmarked for government projects.

Currently, Takoradi, Kumasi and Tamale have airports that take light commercial aircraft.

In August, this year, the Ghana Airport Company signed an agreement with Geiroz Galvao Construction, a Brazilian construction company, for the upgrading of the Tamale Airport to meet international standards to serve as an alternative airport to the Kotoka International Airport in Accra.

Massive renovation works aimed at upgrading the Kumasi Airport to facilitate domestic air flights began in earnest in November last year.

Briefing the media on the land at Adaklu, the Transport Minister said the construction of the Volta Region Airport was in fulfillment of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) manifesto and the promise made by President Mahama that all the regions must have at least an aerodrome.

She said the construction was to open up all the regional capitals to benefit from their potentials in tourism, agricultural and medical and to increase job creation opportunities.

The Volta Regional Minister tasked the Lands Commission to demarcate the boundaries of the land and charged the 66 Artillery of the Ghana Armed Forces who were the original owners of the land to protect it from further encroachment.