Roads and Highways Minister, Governs Kwame Agbodza, has warned individuals allegedly inflating compensation claims for properties affected by road projects that they could face investigations by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).
Mr Agbodza disclosed that the government was considering reporting two quantity surveyors to EOCO over allegations that they persuade project-affected persons to reject official valuations while promising to secure compensation several times higher.
“We are looking at the possibility of reporting two of those people to EOCO for investigation,” the Minister said.
He cautioned that individuals involved in the practice should be prepared to face investigators, particularly where their activities result in project delays and additional financial burdens on the state.
“So if you are part of those people, anytime we do valuation, you tell people don’t accept it, we’ll get you four times, and then you delay the project, very soon EOCO will be at your door,” he warned.
Mr Agbodza made the remarks during an inspection of asphalt works on a two-kilometre access road linking Feyiase to the Sewua Regional Hospital in the Ashanti Region. The project is being executed by Kofi Job Construction Limited.
The Minister accused some external surveyors of approaching property owners after government valuations have been conducted and persuading them to reject the amounts assessed by authorised state agencies.
According to him, such individuals allegedly promise affected property owners significantly higher compensation, with some claims reportedly reaching four, five or six times the government’s valuation.
“Some people in our country approach those people and tell them not to accept the values that are being given to you. We can give you four, five, six times the amount that the government is offering you,” he said.
He said the practice sometimes escalates into legal action, with affected persons being encouraged to seek court injunctions to halt road projects while compensation disputes are pursued.
Mr Agbodza said the resulting delays have cost the state considerable sums and slowed the implementation of road infrastructure projects.
The Minister also questioned the basis for the significant differences between valuations conducted by government agencies and those subsequently produced by independent surveyors.
“The people who value these properties from the Ghana Highway Authority, Urban Roads and others are the same surveyors; they went to the same school. How come when they finish their evaluation, somebody comes and tells the project-affected people, I can get you four times that amount of money?” he asked.
He stressed that government would continue to compensate property owners whose properties are affected by road construction and other public infrastructure projects, but insisted that the process must comply with the law.
Mr Agbodza subsequently urged project-affected persons to rely on valuations undertaken by authorised government agencies and to be cautious of individuals who promise dramatically higher compensation claims.
The warning signals a tougher stance by the government against practices it believes are being used to frustrate road projects, increase compensation liabilities and unnecessarily delay the delivery of public infrastructure.
