President Nana Akufo-Addo has announced that a committee will be established in 2021 to investigate issues of compulsory acquisition of lands by the government.

The committee will also be required to look into the consequences of such cases and how those lands can be restored to the custodians.

Addressing the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs, as part of his tour of the region, President Akufo-Addo said: “Let me also indicate to you my commitment to establishing a Committee, God willing, early next year, to take a comprehensive look at the issue to do with the compulsory acquisition of lands by Government, its consequences and the possible restoration of lands to their allodial owners.”

He continued: “the Committee will make appropriate recommendations for the decision of Government. With a few weeks to the holding of the elections, the setting up of this Committee this year may not be feasible.”

The President, therefore, tasked the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs “to begin stakeholder consultations with the House, so an agreement can be reached on the composition of this Committee and its Terms of Reference.”

He reassured the House that his government will continue to support the Chieftaincy institution so it can be strong and resilient, indicating that six new office complex and bungalows would be provided the six newly constituted Regional Houses of Chiefs.

“Additionally, as I have said, we would strive to give to the institution the requisite support to resolve chieftaincy matters, and carry out research in the many areas of relevance to curb chieftaincy related conflicts,” he stressed.

With five weeks to the holding of the December 7 elections, President Akufo-Addo assured the House of the efforts that are being made by government to guarantee the peace and stability of the nation.

“Ghana has rightly earned a reputation as the pacesetter in democratic governance on the continent, a reputation I am determined to uphold, and, indeed, enhance prior to, during and after the 7th December elections,” he said.

“I would need, of course, your full collaboration and co-operation to help attain this end. We cannot afford a repetition of the deplorable events that took place recently at Odododiodio. We have all to work together to create the environment that will allow the Ghanaian people to make their decision on 7th December in freedom, peace and security. It is their right,” he added.

As part of the government’s Agenda 111, which seeks to build District Hospitals in Districts without hospitals, the President told the House that, in the course of the next 12 months, government will construct district hospitals in the outstanding districts in the Greater Accra Region.

According to him, the outstanding districts include “Ablekuma Central, Ablekuma North, Ablekuma West, Accra Metropolitan, Ada West, Adentan, Ashaiman, Ayawaso Central, Ayawaso East, Ayawaso West, Ga Central, Ga South, Korle Klottey, Krowor, La Nkwantanang Madina, Ningo Prampram and Tema West”. 

The hospitals, he explained, will have a 100-bed capacity, fully equipped, with appropriate accommodation for medical personnel, i.e. doctors and staff.

President Akufo-Addo told the House that “there are 847 projects being executed in the Region, with 423 completed, and the remaining 424 ongoing”.

Out of the 423 completed projects, 87 are in the educational sector, 17 in the health sector, 173 in the roads sector, 74 in the water and sanitation sector, 25 in the industrial sector, and 10 market projects.

Of the 424 ongoing projects, 92 in the educational sector, 18 in the health sector, 54 in the roads sector, 113 in the water and sanitation sector, 20 in the industrial sector, and 19 market projects.