At the heart of Ashanti Region, where asphalt machines rumbled along the two-kilometre Feyiase-Sewua Regional Hospital access road, Minister for Roads and Highways Governs Kwame Agbodza delivered a stern warning that reverberated beyond the construction site.
Speaking during an inspection of the ongoing project by Kofi Job Construction Limited, Mr. Agbodza revealed that the government is considering referring two quantity surveyors to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO). The reason: alleged attempts to manipulate compensation claims involving properties affected by road projects.
According to the Minister, these surveyors have been accused of persuading property owners to reject the official valuations conducted by government authorities. In return, they promise to secure compensation payments many times higher than the original assessments, a practice Mr. Agbodza described as a drain on public funds and a source of avoidable delays for crucial road works.
“We are looking at the possibility of reporting two of those people to EOCO for investigation,” he stated, emphasizing that surveyors who deliberately encourage owners to turn down government valuations in the hope of inflated compensation could face scrutiny and legal consequences.
Mr. Agbodza urged those whose properties are affected by road developments to rely on assessments made by state institutions like the Ghana Highway Authority and the Department of Urban Roads. He cautioned against employing private surveyors who, after government teams have completed their work, approach property owners and encourage them to seek higher payments, sometimes even leading to court injunctions that stall projects and inflate costs.
The Minister questioned how private surveyors could arrive at estimates significantly greater than those of trained professionals working in government agencies, all of whom follow established procedures. He reassured affected persons that the government remains committed to fair and lawful compensation for properties acquired for public projects.
Mr. Agbodza also commended property owners who have cooperated with authorities during compensation processes for major projects such as the Accra-Kumasi Expressway. He stressed that concerns over inflated claims are not unique to the Ashanti Region, noting that similar issues have arisen in Accra and elsewhere.
As roadworks progress across the country, the Minister’s message was clear: collaboration, transparency, and adherence to the law are essential to delivering the infrastructure Ghana needs, free from manipulation and unnecessary delays.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com