Victims of Apiate explosion demand compensation from Maxam

Affected residents of Apiate are demanding the immediate payment of compensation by Maxam Company Limited, which was transporting the explosions that detonated on January 20.

Spokesperson of the Concerned Youth of Apiate Association, Maclean Ayoma, said it was insensitive on the part of Maxam to not engage the residents three months after the fatal explosion.

Speaking in an interview at Apiate following a meeting with the Apiate Reconstruction Implementation Committee members, he noted that the residents were disappointed by the company's posture, adding that they were prepared to use every legal means to receive compensation.

He indicated that the group would next week write to Maxam to demand a formal meeting on the matter.

"We are highly disappointed in Maxam for their failure to see us as people who deserve to be treated right. You have, through your actions, caused the whole township a lot of distress.

"It is only right that you meet the affected people and discuss ways to compensate them. We will take the needed actions to ensure our people get justice," Mr. Ayoma stated.

Earlier in the meeting, the Chairman of the Committee and Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Benito Owusu-Bio, advised the residents to pursue the payment of compensation if they wanted to because the government, which was the industry regulator, was not legally bound to do so.

He indicated that the government's focus was to reconstruct the town as a green and sustainable community.

In the meantime, he said work was ongoing on the temporal accommodation facilities for the affected residents to shelter them from the harsh weather conditions.

Mr. Owusu-Bio noted that the ministry was working to meet the May 1 deadline to move the affected families camped in tents to the temporal facilities.

So far, he said 20 out of the 32 housing units earmarked for the relocation had been roofed and windows installed.

To speed up work on the project, the Deputy Minister added that plans were far advanced to recruit more carpenters to the site.

Member of Parliament of Prestea-Huni-Valley Constituency, Robert Wisdom Cudjoe, said his outfit was monitoring the activities being carried out to ensure the people were relieved from their current challenges.

He urged the people to support the work of the implementation committee and reiterated the need to work together with the reconstruction team to expedite work on the project.