"Land Litigation Will Scare Away Home-Comers" -

A PROMINENT Ghanaian citizen who has returned home after 38 years stay in the United States of America (USA), has stated that, land litigation in most parts of the country would not make it possible for Ghanaian home-comers and their foreign friends to invest in both agriculture and agro-based industries.

He said even though several Ghanaians, including their friends in Europe, have responded positively to the government's call to invest at home adverse reports on acquisition of land resulting in dispute and long litigation most investors have recoiled in their shells.

Nana Kwaku Kwateng, the home-comer, told the Chronicle about numerous problems he has encountered after several years of acquiring land leasehold to go into farming at Old Akrade in the Asuogyaman district of the Eastern Region.

Nana Kwateng stressed that after acquiring the land with the necessary documents which enabled him to do business, a small group from within the same clan has now saddled him with court action, ostensibly to push him out of genuine business.

He said to be able to convince those Ghanaians to invest at home, the government must seek dialogue with other traditional rulers on lands to avoid embarrassment.

Nana Kwateng noted that though the Akwamu traditional area is a potential agricultural and tourist area, many investors are shying away due mainly to land litigation, adding that Ghanaian home-comers and their allies who wanted to go into hotel and real estate development in the Asuogyaman district have all abandoned the idea.

"Nobody will be expected to throw his or her hard won money into the drain after several years of toiling and sweating for the money," Nana Kwateng fumed.

He, therefore, advised the government to think seriously about land problem in the country and allow for free-flow of investment to reduce unemployment and poverty.

Nana Kwateng added that the best policy of any government is being able to produce enough to feed her people and export the excess for foreign earnings, emphasizing that without this simple approach, whatever good programme the government may initiate would be meaningless since the people cannot work on empty stomach.