Homeowners along Cape Coast–Takoradi highway demand proper compensation
More than 500 homeowners in Cape Coast affected by the Cape Coast–Takoradi Highway Big Push Road construction, have called on the government to urgently provide adequate compensation and proper resettlement following an ongoing demolition along that stretch. The post Homeowners along Cape Coast–Takoradi highway demand proper compensation appeared first on Ghana Business News .
Homeowners along the Cape Coast–Takoradi Highway are demanding fair compensation for their properties affected by the highway construction project. Over 500 residents, some of whom have lived in the area for over five decades, have been left without shelter as they sleep outdoors with no means to rent accommodations. Several residents claim their homes were not within the designated highway buffer zone, yet they were ordered to demolish their structures.
The government has offered a paltry GH¢5,000 per room as compensation, a sum deemed insufficient by the affected residents considering the current construction costs. Some of the affected residents, living in mud houses along the route from the University of Cape Coast West Gate to various enclaves near the Iture estuary, assert that their compensation was inadequate and unjustified.
The road project traverses three historical layers of Fante coastal settlements, communities established by Ewe fishermen, and post-1962 urbanization that integrated peripheral villages into the Cape Coast Metropolis. The religiously diverse communities are home to various churches and traditional shrines. The Secretary to Togbe Edward Kponorvi, the Chief of Abakam, acknowledges the residents' concerns but expresses disappointment in the government's handling of the situation.
The Chief emphasizes the need for meaningful engagement with the government, stating that the residents are not opposed to the project itself but to the contractors' disregard for the community. The construction has blocked access to the ocean for fishermen, causing job losses, hunger, debt, and school dropouts as families struggle to afford basic necessities.
The loss of playgrounds, water contamination from construction dust, and increased flood risks due to inadequate drainage have also impacted daily life in the affected communities. Homeowners have condemned the compensation offered, describing it as insulting and insufficient to rebuild their lives.
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