TRECK-KNUST partners World Bank and GIMPA to train professionals on land acquisition and resettlement risks

The Regional Transport Research and Education Centre Kumasi (TRECK) at KNUST has launched a professional certificate course. This course focuses on Environmental and Social Risk Management (ESRM). It is in collaboration with the World Bank and GIMPA Training and Consultancy.

The short course aims to help professionals manage risks related to land acquisition. Development-induced displacement is a key challenge for infrastructure projects.

Dr. Paul Rex Danquah, a Senior Consultant at GIMPA, spoke at the launch. He highlighted the importance of this course in addressing land disputes in Ghana. He said, “Some key problems in Ghana are centred around land acquisition and resettlement.”

He hopes participants will return to their institutions ready to drive change.

The course targets various professionals, including project managers and government staff. It also includes consultants, regulators, private sector practitioners, development workers, researchers, and students.

This initiative is the first of several ESRM training programs aimed at building capacity across Africa. Plans are underway to extend this program to Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria.

Mr. Emmanuel Anyang Abeka from the World Bank reaffirmed support for this initiative. He stated that they aim to enhance sectors of excellence in West Africa. They are currently working with Liberia and Sudan as future targets.

Prof. Helen Essandoh is the Director of TRECK-KNUST. She emphasized ESRM's critical role in development planning. She stressed the need for proper consultation during land acquisition processes.

“When you want to implement a project, you need space,” she explained. “If people living there are not consulted properly, disputes can arise.”

She believes this course is essential for building professionals' capacity to manage such risks responsibly.

TRECK-KNUST is recognized by the World Bank as an African Centre of Excellence in Transport and Logistics. It focuses on research, training, and capacity building within transport and development sectors.