|
Chiefs insist on sharing GREL
royalties.
Agona-Nkwanta (W/R), Dec. 24, Ghanadot/GNA- Eight Paramount
Chiefs in the Western Region on Saturday repeated their
demand for a fair share of royalties paid by the Ghana
Rubber Estates Limited (GREL) to the Government.
They noted with concern that a petition to the Government on
the issue in 2003 that also included their demand for a five
per cent share in the company as well as appointing one of
them to serve on the Board of the GREL had not received any
response.
Awulae Agyefi Kwame, Omanhene of Nsein Traditional Area and
Chairman of the Association of Chiefs on whose Lands GREL
Operates (ACLANGO) said these at this year's annual general
meeting of the association at Agona-Nkwanta in the Ahanta
West district.
In spite of the Government's promise to meet these demands,
nothing had been done so far, Awulae Kwame said, adding, "We
are reminding President Kufuor to do something for Nananom
before leaving office".
He claimed that GREL divesture in 1996 was done without the
knowledge and involvement of any of them and 83 other
divisional chiefs on whose lands the company owes large
tracks of rubber plantations.
Awulae Kwame said the chiefs would continue to give their
support to GREL to enhance its operation for their mutual
benefit and commended the company for working hard to meet
its social responsibilities to the people.
Apart from the provision of a number of projects to some
communities, GREL had been organising vacation classes for
students and providing scholarships to selected children
from the eight traditional areas since 2004.
The company had provided a permanent secretariat for the
Association at Agona-Nkwanta.
Awulae Kwame appealed to GREL to sponsor a workshop to
discuss the Chieftaincy bill to enable them to better
understand it and also for the enable chiefs in the region
to make inputs into the bill.
Mr Marc Genot, Managing Director of GREL, said the company
would continue providing facilities to enhance the education
of children and also sponsor hard working students to
tertiary level.
He said the out-grower scheme adopted by GREL had brought
sustainable income to many people in the area leading to the
reduction in poverty.
He appealed to the chiefs and other landowners to release
lands to interested farmers wishing to go into rubber
production to feed the company.
Mr Genot stressed the need for coexistence and said peaceful
methods should be adopted for the amicable settlement of any
misunderstanding that may crop up between the company and
the chiefs and that GREL was ready to cooperate in this
respect.
Mr Kojo Kum, a Takoradi-based lawyer explained some of the
provisions under the Domestic Violence Act, Act 372 of 2007
and said Chiefs have no capacity or jurisdiction to settle
defilement cases.
GNA
|
