The Executive Secretary of the Volta River Authority Trust Fund, Richard Koranteng Twum-Barimah, is calling for an upward review of the annual $500,000 allocation into the VRA Trust Fund established to take care of the welfare of residents in the 52 resettlement communities.
According to him, since the establishment of the Trust Fund in 1996, the $500,000 yearly allocation has never been reviewed despite exponential population growth associated with increase socio-economic demands of the resettlement communities.
Twum-Barimah said: “Our money is scarce, the $500,000 which was approved in 1996 is the same amount we are using in 2018. What $500,000 can do in 1996 cannot do in 2018 so what we want to do is to appeal to VRA to increase the amount.”
The construction of the Akosombo Hydroelectric Dam and the creation of the Volta Lake among others, led to the flooding of about 730 villages with a total population of about 80,000 people in parts of Brong Ahafo, Northern, Volta and Eastern Regions.
Fifty-two of the worst affected communities were resettled by the then Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s government and as part of the resettlement package, the Resettlement Trust Fund was established in 1996 with an annual commitment of $500,000 to be paid into the fund by VRA to provide basic socio-economic amenities for the residents.
However, many decades after the fund was established, residents in Anyaboni, New Senchi, Adjena, and New Somanya and many other resettlement communities are not happy with their current state of development creating agitations for a better compensation package.
We haven’t shirked our responsibility
Speaking to Starr News, the Executive Director of the Trust Fund, Twum-Barima refuted claims that the fund has shirked its responsibility. He explained that many developmental projects including provision of education and health infrastructure, water, market sheds, among others have been built but are not enough to meet the high insatiable demands due to inadequate funding.
He said the upward review of the allocation will help accelerate development in the communities.
“In the 52 communities, there is no community that you wouldn’t have VRA Trust Fund Project. Probably because over the years we did not have a board that might have delayed some of the projects”.
On Tuesday, October 9, 2018, the members of the newly constituted Board of the Fund toured some of the resettlement communities in the Eastern region.
Encroachment of land, poor road networks, portable Water supply challenges, rehabilitation and expansion of education and health infrastructure were top complaints by residents.
Board Chairman of the fund, His Honour (rtd) Emmanuel, Nana Antwi-Barima told Starr News after the tour the board will ensure the fund is put to better use in fixing the challenges identified according to the pressing needs of the communities.
The entourage cut the sod for the construction of a Canteen for New Senchi Methodist School.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Kojo Ansah