Sunyani, June 29, GNA - Okokyeredom Kwadwo Sito, Paramount Chief of Banda Traditional Area, and his elders have expressed concern about their non-involvement in negotiations on 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 can negotiate with settlers who cannot lay claim to any part of Banda land because they are only settlers on the land", he told the GNA in an interview.

He said meetings had been held between settlers in the area and the two bodies over land issues to the exclusion of the traditional authority, the Omanhene who is the land owner. The chief was reacting to publications concerning the state of the Bui Dam Project and the status of settlers. He said the settlers would be paid compensation for all their properties on the land, including their houses, farms and all other properties but not compensation for the land itself. "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", the paramount chief said. He said chiefs and people in the traditional area are peeved over the attitude and actions of the officials and would no longer tolerate their exclusion, being the owners of the land, in 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 said "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 said feasibility studies carried out before the commencement of the dam project identified the Paramount Chief of Banda 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 appealed to officials of Bui Power Authority to always liaise with Banda Traditional Council on all issues about the Bui dam project.

He said recently the residents complained about the intrusion of surveyors on their farms without being given any prior notice and he was forced to go to the bush himself to control the situation. 29 June 09