Accra, July 10, GNA - Professor Dominic Kweku Fobih, Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines on Tuesday appealed to the Landlords of Abutia to exercise restraint whilst government worked on the modalities for the payment of compensation for their lands.

The Minister said government had since its inception received calls from almost all the communities that had outstanding claims in terms of land acquisition and compensations to make payments and certain redeem promises.

"We are not saying we would not pay. That is out of the question. But at the moment the total claims before government is quite high, so modalities have to be developed so that all affected persons and communities can be paid without the payments adversely affecting government budget," he said.

In June 1975, the government of Ghana instituted a compulsory acquisition of Abutia and Adaklu Lands respectively in the Volta Region under Act 43, with Legislative Instrument 1022.

The land is being used as a wildlife production reserve. The development of the project is still in progress.

According to the Landowners only 547,755.40 cedis had been paid for the past 27 years to cover for the loss of crop, though government agreed to pay 7,800,898,000.00 after a valuation by the Land Valuation Board.

A letter signed by Professor Fobih to the Minister of Finance and Economic for the release of funds for the payment of land compensation to the community since November 7, 2006 had till date not been honoured.

The Landlords therefore renewed their protest against government on Thursday for its inability to pay compensations for their lands acquired since 1975.

A petition to government copied to the Ghana News Agency said the patience of the people was running out since they were not being treated fairly.

"Our patience is running out and being our last resort, we are appealing to your good office and the authorities concerned not to turn a blind eye to the plight of these unfortunate ones who want their compensation paid in time to avoid extra cost, since land appreciated in value in the course of time," the petition stated.

Signed by Mr R. N. Diaba, the Spokesman, the petition said, "Over the years we have relentlessly pursued all processes and requirements for the payment of this compensations including a petition through the Serious Fraud Office (SFO)".

According to the petition, the Land in question covered 320 square Kilometres, which was approximately 80,550 acres, out of which compensation was paid for 52, 518.80 acres with an outstanding 28,031.20 to be compensated for.

"The total assessed compensation in respect of the outstanding acreage is Eight Billion, Nine Hundred and Ninety-Four Million, Seven Hundred and Forty-Eight Thousand cedis (8,994,748,000.00)," the petition said.

The petition urged government to acknowledge the fact that the landowners of Abutia were law- abiding citizens "who had co-operated in all directions and in all possible peaceful methods over the past 27 years" and therefore demanded that the remaining compensation was paid without further delay.

Prof Fobih said if the Ministry was to expedite action on the payment of the compensation, then the department in charge, namely the Wildlife Division was to do so.

"But unfortunately the amount being asked for was more than the wildlife division's annual budget and it is for that reason that the sector Ministry is appealing to the Ministry of Finance to finance the compensation process.

"But the Finance Ministry cannot also do so if there was not enough money for its projects and programmes," he said, adding that it was for that reason that modalities for the payment of land compensation was being worked at by the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines. The Minister therefore appealed to the Landlords of Abutia to bear with government a little longer for the modalities on the payment of land compensation was arrived at.