6 state lands encroachers have taken over

From time to time, there have been reports of how the government is working to restore lands in parts of the country that have been encroached on. The arguments have continuously been that these lands belong to the state, and as such, they must be retrieved. Situations like these have also usually come about because people take advantage of the inactivity on those lands and sell to others or build on them. In this article, GhanaWeb takes a look at some of the reported lands that have been encroached upon, and for which reason the government has taken steps to retrieve them. A number of these lands are located within the Greater Accra Region, although it must be stated that the region is not the only one faced with these issues. Sakumono Ramsar Site: In July 2022, the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council announced that it was set to demolish all structures within the core zone of the Ramsar site at Tema. According to the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, notices had already been served to owners of properties in the area. The minister said the notice explained to the affected persons that their houses are being destroyed to clear the waterway leading to the lagoon as more than 4000 houses were said to have been constructed on the Ramsar site without permits. The Ramsar Site also, known as the Sakumono Lagoon, is a wetland of international importance. It is the only wetland wholly-owned by the state and is meant for protecting Sakumono, Tema and their environs against floods and pollution, for the breeding of fish and other marine species for the Sakumono Lagoon, as well as recreational activities. It covers an area of 1,364 hectares (3,500 acres) and is situated along the coastal road between Accra and Tema in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana, about 3km (1.9 mi) west of Tema. The site also covers part of Tema Community 3, 5, 6, 11 and 12, through to the Sakumono village, Old Lashibi and Klagon. The site, which used to be a habitat for fishes and other water creatures as well as served as a stopover for migrating birds, currently has a large portion being encroached upon by individuals and estate developers. The first phase of the demolition exercise commenced on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. Adenta Katamanso lands: The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Kweku Asomah-Cheremeh, stated in August 2020 that the government was working around the clock to reclaim the Adenta-Akatamanso lands encroached on by individuals and groups. According to him, out of 7,000 acres of state lands at Adenta Katamanso, only 1000 acres have not been encroached on. “All lands belonging to the state have been properly acquired under the executive instrument of which private developers ignore what the law states”, he said. Mpehuasem lands: The Lands Commission raised an alarm in April 2022 about lands at Mpehuasem in the Ayawaso West Municipal Assembly, that were being encroached on. According to a statement to clarify the notion that the Commission was using its power to take lands from some people, it noted that the said land is government property and, hence, it is doing everything possible to safeguard the land and prevent private developers from encroaching on it. “Indeed, the Commission has, previously, issued public notices alerting prospective developers that the said land is state land, managed by the Lands Commission, and cannot be alienated by any stool, clan, family or individual. Any such grant is unlawful, void and confers no title on the grantee of the land. “Any person who claims to have an interest in any part of the Mpehuasem public land should approach the Commission with his/her documents,” portions of the statement said. UCC School lands: The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation reported in April 2021 that lands belonging to the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has been encroached on by private developers. The situation, described as being at an alarming threat rate to the school, was said to have caused the school to put in place measures to end the problem. The report added that the university had issued an S.O.S to the relevant bodies to help end the wanton encroachment on the school lands, especially when these actions were affecting the future expansion of the university. The University of Cape Coast (UCC) was established in October 1962 on the recommendation of an international commission by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah’s government in December 1960. In 1963, UCC enrolled its first batch of students, numbering one hundred and fifty -five. Land for the university was acquired under compulsory acquisition in 1969 under Executive Instrument EI 87. The area stretches from the river Kakum between Cape Coast and Elmina, all the way to the DVLA junction to Cape Coast Technical Institute then to the new Cape Coast stadium area, almost to the Ankaful hospital and back to the Kakum river. Pantang Hospital lands: Angered by the situation of encroachment on their lands, the Staff of the Pantang Hospital in the Greater Accra Region embarked on a demonstration June 2021 to protest what they called “a threat to their security.” They claimed that private individuals had encroached on the hospital, a situation that had brought land guards to the area, making them insecure. They called on the government to, as a matter of urgency, act on the situation. They also threatened to lay down their tools should the situation not be resolved. GCAA lands at La Nkwantanang: Workers of the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority also protested about what they said was the deteriorating state of aviation safety in the country, due to the encroachment of some of their lands. A Spokesperson for the Workers Union of the GCAA, William Wilberforce Amoako, speaking in 2020, illustrated how the National Cathedral project and its attendant evacuation of judges from their residences at Ridge, was affecting them. “The lands in question are for private development and the resettling of the judges. But since the area has been demarcated, the government has taken over a portion while another portion has been allocated to the people of La. But it is our portion that we are having challenges with. We expect that the GCAA belongs to the government, as such, whatever the government takes should be for the GCAAA and not for individuals. “We have only been given fifteen out of the ninety acres which is not enough for the equipment that we have, and we plan to have in future. For the safety of flights, we need these lands for aviation development,” he is reported by gh-aviation.com to have said. According to the aggrieved GCAA staff, the areas being encroached upon are the GCAA lands at La Nkwatanang, La TX at Cantonments, Ashalley Botwe, and an area around the East Legon Tunnel, all in Accra and ranging between 60 and 800 acres. Watch the latest episode of The Lowdown below: You can also watch this episode of People & Places on GhanaWeb TV: AE/WA