Tema, Aug. 06, GNA - Management of the Tema Development Corporation (TDC), has made it clear that land allocated to Home Finance Company (HFC) at Community 22, cannot be the subject of protests or petitions by farmers on Community 21 land. Reacting to protests by the farmers in a Press Release issued in Tema, as to why HFC should undertake a Housing Project on the land in question, which culminated in the farmers' demonstration on July 21, TDC Management expressed surprise about the behaviour of the demonstrators. Management of TDC was of the view that the piece of land on which HFC's Housing Project was being undertaken, was "physically outside Community 21". Management stated that it was incomprehensible that part of Community 22 buffer should be the subject of dispute to warrant a demonstration. The Corporation explained that in 1997, it compensated 16 farmers from a list of 38 framers, and that those yet to be compensated "are still in occupation and supposedly undertaking their farming activities, until the issues are resolved between TDC and the Free Zones Board". TDC Management explained that its agricultural lands had always been transitional in use, and that as soon as physical development caught up with the users on those lands within the Acquisition Area, the users were changed in accordance with the Corporation's approved development plan.

Management stated that potential farmers were always advised not to put up permanent structures without building permits. It said wherever TDC initiated plans to build new communities, farmers were notified through letters, after which the Land Valuation Board was requested to assess the value of approved developments on the land for compensation. Management stated that whenever farmers decided to discontinue farming on those lands, residential plots were allocated to them in lieu of compensation.

Management recounted that in 1996/97, when TDC decided to develop new residential areas in Communities 21 and 22, letters were written to all the farmers, followed by several meetings to discuss their plight and the compensation due them.

It said around the same time, government declared its intention to take over Community 21 for the Free Zones Board to develop residential units, to support workers engaged at the free zones enclave in Tema. Management said as a result of this development, only farmers in Community 22 were paid their compensation as determined by the Lands Valuation Board.

Management allowed the farmers in Community 21 to continue farming on their lands without paying ground rent, until the issues in respect of the allocation of Community 21 were resolved between the Free Zone Board and TDC.

This did not please the farmers, and so they took up the matter at the law courts against TDC and the Free Zone Board, claiming ownership of Community 21 lands.

Management said initia lly, the farmers lost the case at the High Court and later at the Appeal Court too.

"The situation has not changed since 1996/97, because the area designated as Community 21 has remained fairly intact to this day, except for encroachment by a few churches that were probably allocated land by the farmers themselves," the release said.