Sunyani, June 27, GNA - Okokyeredom Kwadwo Sito, Paramount Chief of Banda Traditional Area, and his elders have expressed concern about their non-involvement in land issues in the area, especially in connection with the Bui Dam Project.

"We are the owners of the land and we cannot fathom as to why officials of Bui Power Authority and the Ghana Dams Dialogue could negotiate with settlers who cannot lay claim to any part of Banda land because they are only settlers on the land", the paramount chief said. Okokyeredom Sito in an interview with Ghana News Agency in Sunyani said that the Banda Traditional Council had noted that meetings had been held between the settlers and the two bodies over land and excluded the traditional authority, the Omanhene who is the land owner. The paramount chief, who was reacting to media reports on the state of the Bui Dam Project and the status of settlers on the land, said the settlers would be paid compensation on their properties on the land, including houses and farms but not on land.

Okokyeredom Sito said "We wish to make it abundantly clear that settlers in the area do not own any land and the overtures being made by officials of Bui Power Authority and Ghana Dams Dialogue are clear signs that they are courting trouble in the area",.

He indicated that the chiefs and people of the traditional area were unhappy about the actions of the officials and would no longer tolerate their exclusion from future negotiations.

"Such overtures by the two bodies must be curbed before the situation explodes into something unpleasant for the whole country since the Bui Dam Project is a veritable asset for all Ghanaians", Okokyeredom Sito said.

He emphasized that "the settlers cannot claim ownership of any part of Banda stool lands since there is no land tenure system in our area. All Banda Stool lands are under the ownership of the paramount chief of Banda, the rightful owner of the land and to whom the settlers pay royalties in cash or in kind". Okokyeredom Sito emphasized that feasibility studies carried out before commencement of the dam project identified the paramount chief as the sole owner who should not be excluded or sidelined in any negotiations on compensation or any other matters with regards to the construction of the dam. He identified the settler communities, who were currently under the authority of the paramount chief of Banda as Dokokyina, Bui village and Akanyakrom. Okokyeredom Sito said that Banda shared boundaries with North Mo in Bole District, South Mo in Kintampo North Municipality, Nsawkaw, Menji, and Sampa Traditional Areas and Cote D'Ivoire. The paramount chief appealed to officials of Bui Power Authority to liaise with the Banda Traditional Council on all issues and expected measures about the Bui dam project.

He said residents of the area complained about the activities of surveyors on their farms without prior notice and he was forced to go to the farms to control the situation.

Okokyeredom Sito said that such activities by the Bui Power Authority did not augur well for the peace of the area and asked that the traditional council should be made aware of any future measures in the project area and any other part of the area.