NPP chair demolishes church fights chief over acres of land

A violent clash could soon erupt at Ayikai Doblo near Amasaman in Ga West, over a dispute on a parcel of land which both the Chief of the village, Nii Ayikain Kojo III, and the Central regional Vice Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Mr. Joseph Donkor, are laying claim to.

This follows the demolition of a makeshift church structure and an uncompleted building on the said land measuring one-and-a-half acres (about six plots) which has become a bone of contention between Nii Ayikain Kojo and Mr. Donkor with both parties claiming ownership of the land.

The demolition exercise, which occurred on Wednesday, August 5, 2015 Today established, was carried out by Mr. Donkor and his macho men.

Speaking to Today, Joel Atta, a nephew to the chief, said on the day of the demolition, the NPP vice chair went to the land in the company of his personal body guards and seven (7) other land guards.

He said upon reaching the land, the vice chairman ordered his boys to demolish the church building and an uncompleted structure.

Joel Atta said Mr. Donkor disregarded his caution not to tamper with the church structure because his uncle (Nii Ayikain) had sold the land to one Reverend John Addo Ntor, the founder of Christ Love Pentecostal Ministry International.

That, according to Joel, did not go down well with Mr. Donkor who in a fit of anger jumped on top of a newly drilled bole hole, pulled two guns, and threatened to gun down any one who dares to step on the land ever again.

He said at that point the NPP vice chairman had ordered his thugs to pull down the structures including a church building and an uncompleted building which had reached the lintel level belonging to a nurse.

Mr. Donkor reportedly claimed that he purchased twelve (12) plots of land from Nii Ayikain Kojo III using his two cars, a Nissan Quiz and Soriki 4x4, to exchange for the land in the year 2008.

Meanwhile the founder of the demolished church, Rev. John Addo Ntor, told Today his search at the Lands Commission revealed that Mr. Donkor was not the legal owner of the land in contention.

He said the search showed that Mr. Donkor only owns half of the 12 plots he claimed to have bought from Nii Ayikain Kojo which lied next to the church building.

When Today contacted Mr. Donkor, he admitted he did pull down some structures but was quick to add that he did that out of anger.

He said he did not understand why his property could be taken away from him when he had paid for it.

Mr. Donkor explained that he tried to report the case to the Amasaman Police Station, but was told to go to court because the police no longer accompany complainants to contentious land sites for fear of being attacked by land guards.

With this information, he said it was a waste of time going to court considering the long procedure involved.

That, he said, would have given the pastor and the nurse enough time to develop their projects.

Without showing any sign of remorse, Mr. Donkor said if any one attempted to put up a building on that parcel of land he will demolish it.

He, however, denied pulling a gun, saying he went to the site with his nephew and not body guards and land guards as claimed by the chief’s nephew.

Meanwhile the chief’s son, Nii Akorshung, and some young men who were on the land when Mr. Donkor vandalised the properties have expressed surprise at his conduct.

According to them, “such a violent personality is not fit to occupy an important position of any political party let alone NPP.

They described Mr. Donkor’s action as a total disgrace to the New Patriotic Party as a whole.

“The man did not show a good example for us the younger once to emulate,” Nii Akorshung said and alleged that Mr. Donkor claimed he was once a land guard at Ashaiman.