Tema, (Greater Accra) 30 Oct.,

Sakumo flood victims from five communities in Tema are seeking compensation from the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) following extensive damage caused to their properties. In a petition, they said ''much as we agree that floods are a natural phenomenon, we think the TDC is to be blamed for the calamity that befell us because the plots were sold to us as residential plots''. It said this implies that TDC was satisfied with the suitability of the affected places for residential purposes before it gave them out on sale. ''Before we could develop our plots, we sought permits from you after we had submitted our building plans for approval.'' It is the conviction of the victims that the engineers of TDC tested the soil and found it suitable for construction works and human habitation, hence the sale of the plots for residential purposes. The petition said apart from the floods unsettling the victims, ''extensive damage was caused to the properties of residents of the affected areas in communities three, five, six, ten and eleven''. The petitioners said ''most of us are faced with the hard task of effecting repairs of damages caused to our buildings, as well as replacing properties destroyed or damaged''. They told the TDC that they are seeking compensation at a value to be mutually agreed on since ''we view our current predicament to be entirely your own making''. Many houses in some communities in Tema were flooded in July during which some residents were marooned in their homes.