Between 1961 and 1965, Ghana’s first hydroelectric project was constructed at Akosombo following the award of the contract to Impregilo, an Italian consortium which had just completed the Kariba Dam on the Kariba Gorge of the Zambezi River basin between Zambia and Zimbabwe.
The construction of the Akosombo Dam flooded parts of the Volta River Basin and the subsequent creation of the Volta Lake, the world's largest man-made lake. The flooding that created the lake displaced many people and necessitated the payment of compensation to many communities along the lake.
The issue of compensation to project-affected persons (PAPs) also came up during and after the construction of the Kpong Dam, as well as the dam constructed at Bui in the Brong Ahafo Region.
It took a very long time for compensation to be paid to some of the PAPs in the communities in the case of the Akosombo and the Kpong dams.
The PAPs and some members of the public were clearly not satisfied with the compensation paid for the Akosombo and the Kpong power projects.
In fact, they expressed strong dissatisfaction with the level of compensation paid to them, with some claims that certain communities had been left out in the payments.
Therefore, when the Bui Power Project was started, it was expected that measures would be put in place to restore the losses incurred by the communities and at the same time ensure sustainable livelihoods through the replacement of assets lost, restoration and enhancement of the livelihoods and ensure that primary facilities such as schools and healthcare facilities are provided.
The Daily Graphic finds it gratifying that within a relatively short period, the state is working on the compensation for those whose crops, buildings and structures were affected by the construction of the transmission lines under the Bui Power Project.
The release of over GH¢2 million, the disbursement of which is expected to start today, must be welcome news to the PAPs.
We recall that in 2012 about 580 farmers whose economic crops were destroyed during the construction of the Bui reservoir were paid their compensation.
With the problems associated with the earlier payment of compensation as a guide, we are optimistic that that for the Bui PAPs will be paid to all the rightful beneficiaries and that the money and facilities will lead to an improvement in the post- dam development condition of the people.
After all, the basic principle behind the payment of compensation to PAPs is that no one should be worse off than he or she was before the project.
