Odai Ntow family punches Prof. Benjamin J. Nyarko over Atomic lands

Incensed by the unseen hands of the Director General of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Professor B.J.B Nyarko, all over their lands lying off the Atomic area in Accra, the Nii Odai Ntow Family has petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Speaker of Parliament as well as the Chief Justice to call the Director General to order.

Subsequently, the family is also warning “…the management of Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, especially its Director General, Professor B.J.B Nyarko that he has no capacity to either sell, lease or give out any parcel of land in respect of any or all Atomic lands which was duly acquired by government and to desist from such practice”.

This paper has also gathered that baring any last minute change of mind the family would be meeting it lawyers today to decide on whether to sue the Atomic Energy Commission, its Director General and some other private individuals who have bought lands in the area for encroaching and trespassing on their lands.

At a press conference on 24th January this year, Naa Korkoi Dugbatey II, the Queen mother of Kwabenya implored the President to “ensure that in respect of the law governing ‘Land usage’ by government or the State, if not being used for the purpose for which it was acquired, it is expected by law to be handed over to its allodia owners. I pray our President will grant same”.

Document available to this paper revealed that in October 2008, then-Minister of for Lands, Forestry and Mines, Esther Obeng-Dapaah, in accordance with a Cabinet directive released 400.51 acres of land to the Odai Ntow Family after government had taken over 2,002.58 acres for the purpose of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission.

Years on, after back and forth with lots of legal battles along the way haven been won by the family, the Commission, led by it Director General stands accused of leading an onslaught against the forcible acquisition of portions of the land without recourse to the allodia owners of the land.

Stay tuned as we bring you the response of the Director General to the accusation.