Kayayei Hostel projects hampered by land acquisition challenges – Gideon Boako

Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia’s spokesman, Dr. Gideon Boako, has identified land acquisition challenges as the main reason for delays in the completion of hostel facilities for chief porters, commonly called Kayayei.

Commenting on the issue, Dr. Boako stressed the importance of these shelters in providing stable living conditions for chief porters, thereby facilitating their participation in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs.

In an interview with Citi FM, Dr. Boako spoke in detail about the obstacles posed by land acquisition issues that significantly hamper the progress of many of these projects.

He stressed the critical role that the completion of these hostels plays in meeting the housing needs of Kayayei and enabling them to access educational and training opportunities.

Dr Boako highlighted the broader objectives of the TVET initiative, stating that it aims to establish a framework for managing migration flows and develop employment strategies tailored to the needs of the Kayayei community.

By providing access to education and training in an enabling environment, he urged that these initiatives should aim to equip these people with the skills and resources necessary to improve their socio-economic prospects.

The Ombudsman reiterated the government’s commitment to addressing the challenges faced by the Kayayei family, particularly in providing stable housing and access to educational opportunities.

He stressed the importance of concerted efforts between government agencies, local authorities and relevant stakeholders to overcome barriers such as land acquisition issues and accelerate the implementation of hostel projects.

“We started with Agbogbloshie and the ground was given, which caused the whole fight. There was another issue related to the Roman Catholic Church, establishing a cooperation with Father Campbell, and we wanted to do it together with the soup kitchen.

“Some landowners in Accra obliged at some point and it became a problem. I remember we had to go to the Ashanti region. We looked for land and got some land in Bantama, but the local people complained and the main delay factor was the land problem. Moreover, the government was prepared and financial resources were available for this,” he said.

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