Roads Minister Warns Surveyors Over Inflated Compensation Claims, Threatens EOCO Action

Roads and Highways Minister, Governs Kwame Agbodza, says the government may refer two quantity surveyors to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for allegedly inflating compensation claims tied to road projects.

Speaking during an inspection of ongoing asphalt works on the 2km Feyiase to Sewua Regional Hospital access road in Ashanti, being done by Kofi Job Construction Limited, Mr. Agbodza accused some surveyors of misleading project-affected persons.

According to the Minister, the surveyors allegedly convince residents to reject government valuations with promises of much higher payouts.

“We are looking at the possibility of reporting two of those people to EOCO for investigation,” he said.

“So if you are part of those people, anytime we do valuation, you tell people don’t accept it, we’ll get you four times, and then you delay the project, very soon EOCO will be at your door.”

Mr. Agbodza said the practice has cost the state a lot of money and is slowing down road works across the country.

He explained that after government agencies like the Ghana Highway Authority and Urban Roads complete their assessments, other surveyors approach the affected property owners.

“Some people in our country approach those people and tell them not to accept the values that are being given to you. We can give you four, five, six times the amount that the government is offering you,” he alleged.

The Minister added that some of them even encourage residents to go to court for injunctions, which further stalls projects.

“As a result, we have lost so much money, and sometimes the projects are delayed needlessly because of the behaviour of some of these people,” he said.

Mr. Agbodza questioned how independent surveyors could come up with valuations far above those of state agencies.

“The people who value these properties from the Ghana Highway Authority, Urban Roads and others are the same surveyors; they went to the same school. How come when they finish their evaluation, somebody comes and tells the project-affected people, I can get you four times that amount of money?” he asked.

The Minister urged residents to rely only on valuations done by authorized government agencies. He assured that government will continue to pay lawful compensation to all affected persons.