Kwabenya Traditional Authority calls for its seized GAEC lands to be returned

The Kwabenya Traditional Authority within the Ga East Municipal Assembly of the Greater Accra Region, are currently crying over their seized and unused portion of land meant for the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) to the Odai Ntow family.

The Kwabenya Traditional Authority's worry has to do with the fact that a huge portion of the land is currently encroached on by individuals without any authorisation by the GAEC management and the government.

The authority has cited numerous individuals and real estate owners who have illegally occupied the land without any action by the authorities of GAEC and the government in general.

Speaking with journalists at the authority's office at Kwabenya, the Shippi of Abola, Nii Tetteh Kwaku II, shed tears over how their legally acquired property has been seized by the government with no compensation given.

"We are starving as allodia owners of the Kwabenya land whilst individuals who are not family members are enjoying," the traditional leader disclosed.

He stated that Former President John Agyekum Kufuor ordered that four hundred acres of the GAEC land should be given to the Odai Ntow family but have still not been given to them.

"We are calling on the government to give back our land to us if not needed for the development of GAEC again," Nii Kwaku II stated.

Nii Kwaku II, who is also the principal elder of the Odai Ntow family, further disclosed that his outfit is taking steps to implement and execute the numerous cases they have won to date.

“We wish to use this medium to inform the general public and all developers on our lands who are yet to regularize their documents or atone tenancy to the Nii Odai Ntow Family, to do so through the Nii Odai Ntow Customary Land Secretariat as early as possible. We therefore encourage all developers to cooperate with us when they see us in their vicinity," he stated.

The government of Ghana formerly acquired the Atomic Energy Land with an Executive Instrument (EI 73/75) State Lands Acquisition (Kwabenya Site, Accra).

“The name of Kwabenya was first mentioned in the history of Gold Coast and the Ashantis by Reverend Carl Christian Reindolf in the 15th Century till date. A Supreme Court Judgement was first given in favour of Odai Ntow family on 30th July 1901, and again on 3rd May 1904 in the suit titled Bosompem and Another verses Martei and Others.”

He stated that on July 3, 1973, the government acquired portions of Kwabenya lands as Ghana Atomic Energy Commission facility for the construction of an Atomic Bomb Reactor but have been left for individuals to occupy.

He expressed worry over how some individuals are using political powers to illegally encroach on the land for their individual interests.

The Principal Elder of the Odai Ntow Family also called on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to, as a matter of urgency, intervene to ensure that portions of the land which are not developed are returned to their family.