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A Call on Ghana Government to
Investigate Payment of GHc 1,237,721.00
And Prevent Future Payments to the
“Association of VR Flooded Lands Compensation Claimants”
Chaired by Krachiwura Nana Mprah Besemuna III
By
Professor Michael Gyamerah,
Cypress, TX
This is a clarion call on the Government of Ghana to
investigate as a matter of urgency payment of Ghanaian
taxpayer’s money that was started in 2010 because the writer’s
research has revealed the potential for a huge financial loss
to the state of over GHc 15 million. The documents available
to the writer (see Attachments I A & B, and II) point to a
possible “shell” association referred to as “Association of VR
Flooded Lands Compensation Claimants” chaired by Krachiwura
Nana Mprah Besemuna III. The association was formed ostensibly
to serve as a conduit to siphon 15% of over GHc 130 million,
which is the “full and final settlement of compensation claims
for lands compulsorily acquired and were flooded as a result
of the construction of the Akosombo Hydro Electric Dam.”
This writer has researched the traditions of the Afram Plains
documented by Kwabena Ameyaw, with special reference to the
“Traditions of the Afram Plains Nos. 13 -21” published by the
Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana, Legon. The
Government of Ghana (GoG) commissioned and funded the study of
the traditions of the people who would be affected by the
construction of the Akosombo dam.
Kwabena Ameyaw’s compiled research, which included the Pai
Traditional area, shows that the public servants responsible
for paying the compensation for the flooded lands failed to
follow the traditions of some these people as the basis for
the compensation payments. Apparently, the Land Valuation
Division of the Lands Commission did not research the Pai
Traditional area, and either inadvertently or through gross
negligence aided and abetted the payment of large sums of
Ghana’s taxpayer’s money to the Association of VR Flooded
Lands Compensation Claimants. The payment made to a “VL
REIMBURSABLE FUND” under the control of the Association of VR
Flooded Lands Compensation Claimants chaired by Krachiwura
Nana Mprah Besemuna III (Attachments I A & B) constituted 15%
of compensation money (Attachment II, 1 and 2) meant for
fellow citizens of Ghana impoverished as a result of losing
their land and property following the construction of the
Akosombo dam.
The so-called Association of VR Flooded Lands Compensation
Claimants had the following objective (Emphasis Mine):
“..establish a reimbursable fund which shall be used to
facilitate and procure an early, expeditious and timely
release and payment by GoG of the agreed tranches of
compensation. The fund shall be paid into and kept in a bank
account.”
The agenda of the “Claimants” is ostensibly to influence
public officials to “facilitate and procure” (in their own
words) payment of compensation monies after the Government of
Ghana had paid the first two tranches in 2009 and early 2010.
As clearly indicated in the attached pay voucher from the
Lands Valuation Division of the Lands Commission (see
Attachment II, 1 and 2), all subsequent compensation payments
starting the with the third tranche will have 15% deducted by
the Lands Valuation Division and paid to the “VL REIMBURSABLE
FUND.” In fact, GHc 1,237,721.00 the 15% paid to the so-called
Association of VR Flooded Lands Compensation Claimants chaired
by Krachiwura Nana Mprah Besemuna III.
Question that need honest answers are:
(1) Since the GoG started paying the compensation in tranches
(the first being made in 2009) before the so-called
Association of VR Flooded Lands Compensation Claimants chaired
by Krachiwura Nana Mprah Besemuna III was formed, what “facilat[ing]”
is required for the GoG to pay debt it owes these impoverished
communities?
(2) Has Ghana descended to the point where public servants
have to be “facilitated” to pay compensation due to
impoverished communities for a debt the GoG owes them?
(3) It is akin to “facilitating” (euphemism of paying bribes
to) employees of an insurance company to induce them to pay
out insurance claims due a policyholder, who has dutifully
paid their premiums, after they have suffered a property loss.
This is classic reverse Robin Hood syndrome. Rather than the
most powerful government and public servants catering for the
needs of the impoverished people, they are rather taking away
funds that could be used to reverse decades of their economic
deprivation and untimely deaths due to poverty that resulted
from the construction of the Akosombo dam.
The documents available to this writer clearly show that the
direct result of these compensation payments claims
spearheaded by Krachiwura has been increased tensions and
litigation in the Pai Traditional area especially Pai and
Otiso. In the case of Otiso, documents available to this
writer (see Attachment III, 1- 4), show that the Lands
Valuation Division of the Lands Commission failed to research
the tradition of the town and through gross negligence aided
and abetted the payment of over GHc 280,000.00 of Ghana’s
taxpayer’s money to an Otiso chief who is not entitled to but
falsely claimed that stool lands were his personal property.
According to the traditions of Pai and Otiso (Ref: Kwabena
Ameyaw’s “Tradition of Otiso” IAS Acc. no. AM 19, pp 3-4,
“Apai Ahenkro (Wurubi) Tradition” IAS acc. no. AM/16 page 5),
the two communities have NEVER been under the jurisdiction of
Krachiwura. However, Krachiwura Nana Mprah Besemuna III has
consistently interfered in the affairs of these two towns in
recent years following the start of the payment of
compensation for their flooded lands.
In the Otiso tradition, “Land right and usufruct were granted
by the Otiso stool. The Land however is held communally under
the chief as custodian who allots to individuals for farming.
There is no permanent alienation of land; the ultimate title
lay with the stool ancestors, and such allotment ultimately
accountable to them” [Ref: IAS Acc. no. AM 19 – “Tradition of
Otiso” page 7, by Kwabena Ameyaw, October 1964]. Thus for a
chief of Otiso to falsely claim that the land belongs to him
and for the premier institutions responsible for stool lands
administration not to have known that they have been lied to
is gross negligence and dereliction of duty by public
servants.
A further confirmation that Otiso has always been independent
of the Krachiwura is presented by Kwabena Ameyaw as follows:
Immediately the people of Otiso settled on their allotted
district, they were assigned the ferrying of wayfarers across
the Oti, by their feudal overlord King Odiawuo. The proceeds
which were in cowries – the then currency were sent annually
to the King at Abene. [Kwabena Ameyaw continued] It was in the
time of Nana Kwasi Bosomtwe [the 10th of the Otiso dynasty]
that the Germans arrived and administered Krachi area. The
Volta [River] then became a natural territorial boundary
between the British and Germans. Following the latter’s
occupation and administration, the people of Otiso stopped the
practice of accounting for the ferry tribute to the Omanhene
of Kwahu as their feudal head.
The people of Pai have similarly been independent of
Krachiwura as their tradition presented by Kwabena Ameyaw
clearly shows. He wrote:
[T]he Omanhene of Kwahu, Nana Kwaku Akuamoa V otherwise Opusuo
(1916 – 1926) presented him [Nana Yaw Anto of Pai] and the
three principal chiefs of the indigenous Apai traditional
area, an ‘Asipin’ chair each. This was symbolic of the
recipient’s loyalty to the ‘Odiawuo stool’ and the ancient
ties….[Not long after this as Kwabena Ameyaw pointed out]There
was dispute between the states of Krachi and Apai. The former
under Nana Kwasi Okugyi Dente of Krachikrom wished to annex
the metropolitan Apai States. But this move was totally
unacceptable and Nana Yaw Anto whose State was hitherto
independent insisted on the preservation of the ancient and
original Apai constitution.
The Krachihene at the time, according to the Pai Tradition
presented by Kwabena Ameyaw, had to use the District
Commissioner whom they had corrupted to have the Government
withdraw recognition of Nana Yaw Anto. However, as Kwabena
Ameyaw pointed out, “[b]ut the action of the Political
Administrative Officer never settled the dispute completely.
Disagreement still continued among the rivals.”
This is why it is rather interesting that when Krachiwura Nana
Mprah Besemuna III appeared on the scene as a supposedly
neutral arbiter following a dispute between two factions from
Pai Traditional area (see Attachment IV, 1 and 2), in the
payment of the first tranche of the compensation to the Pai
Traditional area, you would expected him to have had a
historical understanding and perspective of the area and act
accordingly. But no, not only did Krachiwura Nana Mprah
Besemuna III deduct GHc 1000.00 from the compensation money he
received on behalf of the Pai Traditional area as his
“Inconvenience” charge (see Appendix VI, 5 of 5), he secretly
sided with one faction to cause confusion and anarchy in the
Pai Traditional area (see Attachment VI, 1-5). This writer
cannot help but wonder whether Krachiwura Nana Mprah Besemuna
III was repeating what Nana Kwasi Okugyi Dente of Krachikrom
tried to do by annexing the metropolitan Apai States during
the reign of Nana Yaw Anto of Pai. His reportedly double
dealing is clearly illustrated by having three members of the
Pai Traditional area faction he sided with as members of the
so-called Association of VR Flooded Lands Compensation
Claimants.
Furthermore, documents made available to this writer show that
60% of the first tranche compensation payment (see Attachment
VII, 1 and 2) was paid to the Surveyor as consultation fee
although the attached spreadsheet shows that a 10% valuation
fee based on the total compensation is to be paid to the
Surveyor (see attachment VIII). The Surveyor’s fee alone based
on the total compensation will amount to GHc 13,833,606.80
(that is over 138 billion old Ghana cedis). This writer
questions an arrangement where 60% of a payment of the
compensation or even 10% of the total compensation from GoG
amounting to approximately GHc 13.8 million (138 billion Ghana
old cedis) should be paid to any Surveyor. What is the
rational for the GoG, represented by public servants, behind
paying such a huge sum to any Surveyor? Was this artifice
intentionally created to achieve an end for certain people? Is
this fair to the communities which were adversely impacted by
the construction of the Akosombo dam that has benefited the
whole country?
It is hoped that professionals representing communities that
have been economically impacted for decades, resulting in
poverty and untimely deaths, as result of the construction of
the Akosombo dam, did not take undue advantage of these
peoples’ lack of sophistication. Significantly, this research
reveals some disturbing facts, including Tdocuments showing
signatures of one Nana Diawuo Bediako II purportedly,
representing Pai Traditional area are completely different on
the Lands Valuation Board Pay Voucher (see Attachment II, 1 of
2) and the letter from JSA Corporate & Legal Consult to the
Executive Secretary of Lands Valuation Board (see Attachment
VII, 1 of 2) stating that 60% of the first tranche
compensation payment be made to the Surveyor. Was the
integrity of these payments as a result compromised?
Recently developments involving aggrieved persons bringing
legal action against government due to questionable actions of
public servants should be of concern to all Ghanaians with
high ethics with regards to the GoG compensation payments. It
should be obvious that compensation money paid to individuals
who lied to the government despite protestations of people of
the area affected will eventually end up causing the GoG
financial loss when legal action is brought against it.
Therefore, the good people of Ghana should demand an
investigation of this self-appointed group, and the Lands
Valuation Division of the Lands Commission to account for all
taxpayer’s compensation paid on behalf of GoG to our fellow
Ghanaians affected by the construction of the Akosombo dam.
About the Author: The Author’s interests are history of Ghana,
economic history and political economy. He may be contacted at
mgyamerah2002@yahoo.com
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