Bolgatanga, May 25, GNA - The government is to pay about 685 million cedis through the Land Valuation Board as compensation to landowners whose lands were taken by the state at Bukere, a suburb of Bolgatanga, for the construction of the Catering Rest House. The Upper East Land Valuer, Mr. Samuel Ofori, said this on Friday at the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) when the Regional Minister held a meeting with landowners to explain the procedures and modalities for land acquisition.

He informed the landowners that letters regarding their entitlements would be served them and would indicate the amount of payment to individuals, taking into consideration the sizes of the plots.

Mr Ofori told the landowners that those who might not benefit from the initial exercise would benefit from the second phase that would follow the first phase.

The Regional Minister, Mr. Boniface Gambila, appealed to landowners to exercise restraint to enable the payments to go on smoothly.