The government has compensated over 500 people affected by an explosion during a rock blasting exercise on the Buduburam stretch of the Kasoa-Winneba Highway.
Nag Fairmount Construction Limited, the company undertaking the Kasoa-Winneba road expansion project, carried out the blast.
The October 2024 event killed three persons, injured many, and destroyed several properties in Buduburam.
Flying rock fragments destroyed building roofs, causing major losses.
Weeks after the incident, Solomon Darko Quarm, District Chief Executive (DCE) of Gomoa East, revealed that the government had paid inconvenience allowances to help ease the burden on the affected persons.
“Today we are paying compensation for the blast that occurred at Buduburam. Over 500 people are being compensated today. Shops, damaged vehicles, and other residential property owners are being compensated. There are rumours that ECOWAS is the one paying the compensation, but I want to state on authority that ECOWAS is not the one making the payment.”
“This is a government of Ghana project, not ECOWAS as is being purported. We finished our work as a committee, and the contractor called that we must come for the money and distribute it to the affected people. Those in the first group and the last have all been factored in the distribution,” he said.
Meanwhile, some victims who received the compensation expressed dissatisfaction with the amounts provided.
Pieces of rock that flew from the explosion landed on several residential buildings in the area, causing extensive damage.
There were, however, no casualties.
Meanwhile, the affected house owners have lamented the lack of concern shown by the authorities.