Osu Mantse Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI has emphasised that the Osu Traditional Council will not renege on its promise to relocate indigenes who will be affected by the Marine Drive Project.

“We are trying to have palace grounds in front of the Osu Mantse Palace but there are people there. To clear these places, we have even relocated them. We have built places and moving them there. If we have been able to do that as a Stool, how come government [and the Traditional Council] will sit down and say we will not relocate them [affected residents]? No!”

The President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs told Moro Awudu on Class FM’s Executive Breakfast Show on Wednesday June 7 that authorities would ensure that the right thing is done for persons who would be affected.

He encouraged individuals who have issues with the project to approach the traditional leaders to have their problems resolved.

“Bring your concerns and we will channel them and address them appropriately,” he insisted.

The Marine Drive project covers 248 acres of coastal land stretching from the Osu Christiansborg Castle to the Centre for National Culture.

It is a public-private partnership (PPP) and is expected to transform the beach area into a tourism enclave to create jobs for the youth, especially those within the catchment area, and increase economic growth.

It is being executed by three companies—Attachy Construction Ltd, which is the anchor developer; ABP Consults, which is the engineering consultant; and Consortium – the designers and planners.

When completed, the project will have facilities such as a beach resort, hotels, playgrounds, and malls, among other tourist amenities.

In view of the over 1000 expected jobs for the youth, the traditional authorities have embarked on skills training programmes for residents.

“What we now realise is that most of the youth in the community have not got certain skills and the project will go in phases. We have the construction, building stage, and after that there is the day-to-day running of the facilities, so we have put in place vocational skills training programmes with a couple of agencies on board to have our youth trained in certain skills and that is what we are doing to position the youth properly to benefit from all the stages,” he underscored.

The Osu Mantse is of the view that the Marine Drive Project will bring massive development and transform the outlook of coastal cities while ensuring that residents gain meaningful employment.

“The Marine Drive Project is to transform the coastal line because when you go outside the country, the coastal line is the most expensive place to live but when you come down to Ghana it is the worst place, so the project is to transform the coastal line into a downtown city and it is doable,” he emphasised.

He said residents would not be short-changed as leaders will ensure that indigenes reap maximum benefits.

He disclosed: “The land is currently being serviced, places are being cleared for buildings to be constructed,” emphasising: “We are not directly involved in granting of leases to the investors as the Ministry is taking charge of that.”

For him, custodians of the land are deeply involved in negotiations and an agreement has been reached which will ensure that reasonable compensation is given to the towns whose lands will be used for the project.

“We have to put in a claim for compensation and we have done the valuation reports and submitted to the Lands Commission and the ministry for compensations to be paid,” he emphasised.