Accra, Aug. 7,GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday, appealed to the chiefs and people of Osu and Nungua Traditional Areas to have a united front to negotiate with government on the payment of compensation on their lands released for public projects. He said government was prepared to co-operate and work with the chiefs to solve the problems related to land acquisition in their areas but they should come to the negotiations with the authority of the people. President Kufuor made the appeal when he addressed separate durbars of the chiefs and people in the two areas as part of his four-day tour of the Greater Accra Region.

To the people of Osu, President Kufuor said it was an honour for them to host the government on their land and they should prepare themselves adequately to sit face to face with government to solve the land issue and participate in the government's modernization plan for the City of Accra.

On the divestiture of the Ghana Commercial Bank (GCB), President Kufuor said government would not force it on the people if they agreed that it should not be divested; adding; " government would back out of the deal".

Nii Ako Nortei II, Osu Mankralo, reiterated his call on the government for a review of the compensation on lands acquired by the government for projects such as the Castle, ministries, State House and allowance from activities at the Accra Sports Stadium.

He appealed for assistance to dredge the Klottey lagoon and create better environment for fishermen and fishmongers at Osu.

Mr Abraham Laryea, Spokesman for the chiefs of Nungua, appealed to government for assistance to deal with encroachers on the Nungua Stool Lands and the Nungua Secondary School Lands.

He also appealed for assistance to solve the dispute between the chiefs and people of Nungua and the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) over their land, which they released to the TDC but were not being utilized. They asked that such lands should be given back to them. A representation of the Nungua Stool should also be appointed to the Board of Directors of TDC.

President Kufuor addressed another durbar of the chiefs and people of La where he announced that separate Sub-Metropolitan Areas would be created for La and Nungua because of the increase in the population and as part of the government's decentralization programme.