Ex-NPP Chairman Uses Position To Influence Land Dispute

Ghana’s new High Commissioner to Canada, Samuel Odoi-Sykes has been accused of using his political status to influence the cause of a land dispute with the Accra Metropolitan Authority (AMA). Mr. Odoi Sykes who until his new appointment was the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Chairman, reportedly stormed the offices of the AMA and angrily demanded that the construction of an access road close to his mother-in-laws property should be suspended.

Mr Odoi Sykes told JOY-FM that the portion of the land earmarked for the access road is part of his mother-in- laws land, which is also under litigation by another claimant.

Sources told JOYFM that following Mr. Odoi -Syke’s outburst, the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Samuel Darko promptly ordered the closure of the access road without consultation with the Authority’s technical advisers. Mr Odoi Sykes himself confirmed to JOYFM that he stormed the AMA offices in anger because he was upset with the Chief Executive for authorising the construction of the road.

According to him, the area earmarked for the lane has been part of his mother-in-law’s property since 1949. However in its report to the AMA, the Town and Country Planning Department, discounted Mr Odoi Syke’s claim to the portion of the land ear-marked for the access road. According to the report, the decision to construct the access road was taken after feasibility studies were conducted on the area.

As a result, a portion of the land, belonging to Dagadu Memorial Methodist Church at Osu in Accra, adjacent to the disputed land was reclaimed for the construction of the access road. The report noted that the access road was to serve residents and further enhance proper drainage in the area.

The committee’s report was also collaborated by documents from the lands commission, which also indicated that the road does not fall within the parcel of land being claimed by the former NPP Chairman.

The AMA Boss who declined an interview with JOYFM is said to have ignored the report out of fear of a possible confrontation with the new High Commissioner.