By Juliet Akosua Danquah
The Land Valuation Division of the Lands Commission has come under fire from farmers in Afrisipakrom, Terchire, Susuanso and Adrobaa in the Ahafo Region.
The farmers, under the Concerned Farmers Association, are demanding compensation for structures on their lands compulsorily acquired by the state in 2024 for Newmont’s Ahafo North mining project.
Speaking to the press at Terchire in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region on Monday, November 2, the Association’s Chairman, John Mensah, said they invited the media to highlight delays by the Land Valuation Division in paying compensation.
The lands, he said, were acquired for Newmont’s Ahafo North project, but compensation for structures on them has still not been paid.
“We also want to respond to Newmont’s petition to the Lands Commission describing our structures as ‘speculative’. We reject this claim. We are concerned that this petition is delaying payment of compensation for our structures under compulsory acquisition E.I. 273 of 2024,” he said.
“Our position is clear: our structures are not speculative under either the mining laws or the Land Act. We strongly reject the claim that our structures are “speculative” These structures existed long before Newmont planned to extend its mining operations into our area. We lived in them and used them for farming and other farming-related businesses. They were part of our everyday lives and the means by which we supported our families. It is deeply unfair to take our lands, destroy our properties and then describe those properties as “speculative” when it is time to pay compensation,” he stressed.
THE LANDS AND THE STRUCTURES ON THEM
According to Mr Mensah, the Government compulsorily acquired the lands through two Executive Instruments (E.I.), official documents through which the State acquired the lands for Newmont, for its Ahafo North mining project in the Tano North Municipality.
“The first instrument, E.I. 356, was issued on 29th September 2023. The second, E.I. 273, was issued on 15th July 2024. The affected lands included farms and properties belonging to members of our Association in Afrispakrom, Terchire, Susuanso and Adrobaa,” he said.
He recounted that in December 2023, when the State came to take possession of the lands covered by the first acquisition, the properties on those lands were destroyed, and people did not have enough opportunity to remove their belongings or save what they could.
“We consider the way we were treated cruel and unfair. Our properties were destroyed so that the land could be handed over to Newmont. We lost properties and sources of income on which our families depended,” he said.
THE STRUCTURES WERE RECORDED ON THE LAND
The Chairman set out how the structures on the lands were dealt with. He said that as part of a process supervised by a Ministerial Committee chaired by the then Deputy Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Newmont, the affected farmers and representatives of the Lands Commission jointly inspected, counted and recorded the affected crops and structures.
“The structure records were also completed and signed by the affected farmer, the surveyor, representatives of the Land Valuation Division, a representative of the Resettlement Negotiation Committee and a Newmont representative. The properties identified as qualifying for compensation were then presented to the Committee,” he said.
He stated that the field enumeration records were submitted to the Lands Commission and identified the properties recorded during the joint exercise as qualifying for compensation.
“Our lawyer and valuers met several times with Lands Commission officials in Goaso and Accra to discuss compensation for our lands, crops and farm structures,” stated Mr Mensah.
He disclosed that after almost two years of the second acquisition, in a letter dated 13th April 2026, the Lands Commission, through its Valuation Technical Committee, approved compensation amounts for crops, structures and lands acquired under E.I. 273.
“With our consent and approval, our lawyers and valuers accepted those amounts in a letter dated 24th April 2026 to the Lands Commission. After going through these processes, we expected payment. Instead, we faced another obstacle,” he said.
That obstacle, he stated, was Newmont’s petition describing the structures on the lands as “speculative.”
THE DEMANDS
Mr Mensah said the Association wants the Commission to resolve the outstanding issues without further delay and pay compensation for all its structures under E.I. 273.
“We ask the Commission to resolve the outstanding issues without further delay and pay compensation for all our structures under E.I. 273,” he demanded.
He also called for urgent payment to members affected by E.I. 356, who have received nothing since their properties were taken almost three years ago.
“We also call for urgent payment to our members affected by E.I. 356, who have received nothing since their properties were taken almost 3 years ago,” he said.
And he demanded a written explanation and a timetable.
“The Commission must give us a clear written explanation of any outstanding issues and a definite timetable for payment. We cannot continue waiting without knowing when this suffering will end,” he said.
FULFIL ITS DUTY
Mr Mensah reminded the Commission of its legal duty under the Land Act.
“The Lands Commission through the Land Valuation Division has a legal duty in this process assessing compensation when the Government acquires land. We reiterate when Government acquires land. The Land Act also requires the Land Commission to assess and pay prompt, fair and adequate compensation,” he stated.
He said the Association has done everything asked of it.
“We have attended meetings, allowed our properties to be inspected and recorded, worked through our lawyers and valuers and followed the processes placed before us. We now call on the Lands Commission to fulfil its duty,” he stated.
He warned that Newmont, as the beneficiary of the acquisition, must not take over the Lands Commission’s responsibility.
“Newmont is the beneficiary of the acquisition. It is not the State. It must not take over the Lands Commission’s responsibility to assess and pay compensation according to law,” he stated.
“Our lands have been taken for the project but our families continue to bear the hardship of unpaid compensation. We ask for fair treatment, respect for our rights and payment without further delay. We appeal to the media to bring our concerns to the public and help ensure that our voices are heard,” he said.
