Farmers in various communities within the Ada West District of the Greater Accra Region have formally requested that the Lands Commission and Bonifiche Ferraresi (BF), an Italian agribusiness company, expedite the compensation process for farmlands impacted by the company’s agricultural project.
The affected farmers, hailing from Ayisah, Tehe, Luta, Blanya, and neighboring communities, reported that they have been deprived of their primary source of livelihood since September 2025, when their farms were appropriated following the leasing of the land to the company.
According to the farmers, over 300 individuals who primarily rely on agriculture for their income have been adversely affected by this project.
They indicated that nearly one year after the takeover of their farms, compensation has yet to be disbursed, resulting in significant hardship for many families struggling to meet their basic needs.
Some farmers have stated their intention to return to the affected lands within two weeks if the compensation process is not expedited.
Mr. Richard MacCarthy, one of the impacted farmers, informed the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that crops and other agricultural products cultivated on the land were destroyed when the company initiated operations.
Mr. Ishmael Mawulorko, another affected farmer, expressed that the destruction of his cassava, maize, and okra farms has rendered him unable to repay a loan he secured to finance his farming activities.
He noted that when the affected farmers approached the company, they were informed that the Lands Commission had leased the land to BF without disclosing that it was under cultivation.
Mr. Joshua Atruku, another affected farmer, remarked that the prolonged delay in compensation payments has plunged many families into hardship.
“We are hungry, our families are starving; we can no longer endure this situation,” he stated.
Other residents conveyed to the GNA that although company officials had indicated that compensation would be forthcoming, beneficiaries had not been informed about the amounts owed to them or the timeline for payment.
A visit by the GNA to the project site revealed that portions of the affected land had been cultivated with maize, while other sections had been prepared for further agricultural activities.
When contacted, officials from Bonifiche Ferraresi acknowledged the existence of the compensation issue but declined to provide further comments.
Mr. Felix Kwame, the Chief Security Officer, and Mr. Jerry Korle, the Human Resources Manager, indicated that management had instructed that all inquiries regarding the matter be directed to the Ada West District Assembly.
Mr. Mordzifa Tanihu Jerry John Foreigner Mills-Nkrumah, the Ada West District Chief Executive, stated that although the project is situated within the district, the land falls under the jurisdiction of the Volta Regional Lands Commission.
He clarified that the Lands Commission is responsible for land acquisition, valuation, and compensation matters related to the project.
The DCE noted that while the Assembly had collaborated with the Lands Commission during the initial stages of the process, subsequent efforts to facilitate timely compensation payments have not yielded the desired results.
Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Adzakey, an officer of the Lands Commission, confirmed that valuation and crop enumeration exercises had been conducted on the affected lands.
He explained that while the exercise did not identify extensive crop destruction across all impacted areas, Ghanaian law mandates that individuals affected by land acquisition or related activities receive compensation where appropriate.
Mr. Adzakey stated that documentation for the first phase of the valuation and compensation exercise has been completed and expressed optimism that payments would commence shortly, paving the way for the second phase of valuation and crop enumeration.
Source:Access Agric
