A combative President Irfaan Ali went live on social media from his office at the Presidential complex this afternoon to defend the Government’s decision to relocate the Mocha residents in the path of a highway construction plan, while urging those who are still holding up to accept the government’s offer to move.

“There are seven individuals who remain non-compliant and continue to stall every single effort with building this road and continuing with the development, making unreasonable claims and refusing to vacate the lands that they are illegally occupying. What has the Ministry offered them to date? The Ministry has offered them to relocate them to completed homes and legal lands which they will have titles for, which will increase their net values, which they can take to the bank and get a loan, free of cost. And that offer remains as I speak…And that is not all, we have offered them through the Lands and Surveys, lands that they can plant and farm if they want”, the President stressed.

President Ali said the issue is not a political one and should not be treated as such. The President noted that the Government in the past months, has been making repeated efforts to get the residents who he said are squatting on the Government reserves to remove from the area. He added that his administration has been very transparent in its plan for the area.

“In the newspapers, we have all seven names and the valuation and what has been offered to them in a very open and transparent way. There is no political mileage or opportunism that could be extracted from this, and I ask and urge these families not to be used as political tools and pawns of a few who are angry with the development of the country”, Ali said.

He said the Government’s offer to the residents is “above and beyond” the value for the properties.

The Government has received a backlash from the Opposition and other groups over its decision to demolish the remaining homes in the area rather than meeting again with the residents to negotiate the terms of their relocation.

The new road network which is being developed through the area, forms part of the administration’s development plan.

Related posts:

Displaced Mocha squatters moving to the Court over demolition of homes Remaining Mocha squatters given final notice to move to allow start of new highway plan Mocha squatters want consultation before demolition of their homes Timehri residents protest relocation plan