Decision on Two Projects Must Be Sound-Dadson (Page 53)

THE Chairman of the Estate and Valuation Surveying Division of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors, Mr James E. K. Dadson, has noted that the high expectations Ghanaians have for the Bui Dam project and the oil discovery makes it imperative that any decisions on the projects be sound and professional.
Speaking at the 2008 annual seminar of the division in Accra, Mr Dadson said many Ghanaians saw the two projects as catalysts for the rapid regeneration of the economy within the shortest possible time, adding that "the stakes are, indeed high, and rightly so".
The theme for the seminar, which was attended by participants from Ghana and other African countries, was: "The Bui Dam and Oil Discovery in Ghana: Opportunities and Challenges — the Role of Estate Surveyors".
He said since independence in 1957, Ghanaians had been striving towards developing their society, free from poverty, disease and misery, as well as ensuring good housing for the people, easy access to education, health care and good standard of living.
Mr Dadson called on the country's surveyors to see their role as one of ensuring that whatever development projects were undertaken were guided by sound professional decisions, adding that they should seriously consider how their input could benefit people who owned land around the two project sites.
Speaking on behalf of the sector minister, a Deputy Minister for Lands, Forestry and Mines, Madam Rita Tani Iddi, said the pragmatic policies adopted by the government since it took over power in 2001 had resulted in positive achievements, including the discovery of oil in commercial quantities, the construction of the Bui Dam, among others.
"It is important to stress that this oil discovery, the Bui Dam project, as well as other projects across the length and breadth of the country have been the result of good governance, hard work, perseverance, among others," she pointed out.
Madam Tani gave the assurance that the government would provide the needed resources for surveyors to enable them to build their capacities as professionals.
The Paramount Chief of the Western Nzema State and President of the Nzema Maale Council, Awulae Annor Adjayi III, said projects such as the Bui Dam, mini dams on the Pra, Ankobra and Tano rivers and the oil find could never be a curse but a blessing if the right thing was done.
He explained that the best results could be achieved if the responsible ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs), project designers, the Executive, Parliament and other project implementers discussed issues affecting the people living along the project sites, instead of relying on advice from the development partners.
He mentioned some of the issues as the land tenure system, land acquisition, compensation and resettlement and how these were implemented to suit the needs of the affected people.