Dawehnya divisional council bares teeth at land ministry

Residents and Traditional authorities of the Dawehnya Divisional council in the Ningo Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region have kicked against government's intention to "unlawfully" claim ownership of about 13,000 hectares of land.

According to the Traditional Authorities, Government through Mr. Kwaku Asoma-Cheremeh, Minister of Lands and Forestry, on Tuesday "invaded" the said parcel of land where some residents had already developed, to issue a caveat that Government had secured the land about two years ago and that the residents should vacate it.

Addressing the media, Mr. Jacob Tetteh Darko, spokesperson for the Aden family of Dawhenya, stated that the government of Ghana had no right to claim any land within the Dawhenya Divisional Council area.

Mr. Darko further explained that the said parcel of land was the bonafide property of the Dawhenya Divisional Council with updated documents to prove their claim.

“Where does the government want to relocate over 1000 residents to?” Mr Darko asked.

Mr. Gideon Darko, a former Deputy Minister of Communication, during the late President, John Evans Atta Mills` regime, who is also a resident of the area, mentioned that government could not use its Executive Instrument to acquire lands which had been developed already.

Mr Darko further hinted that the residents had legally acquired the lands and would resist any attempts by the government to oppress them adding, “We want to live peacefully on our lands” he noted.

The Ghana News Agency observed that residents had thronged the said parcel of land in Dawehnya in the early hours of Thursday, clad in red attire and bands whilst others were holding placards to show their displeasure at government's decision.

Responding to the claims of the Dawehnya Divisional Council, Mr Kwaku Asoma-Cheremeh, Minister of Lands and Forestry, told the Ghana News Agency that entire parcel of 13200 acres of land was acquired by the government under an executive instrument in 2018.

According to him, " Publication was made of this compulsory acquisition under the constitution and same has been gazetted for use as an industrial hub and not rpt not for my personal use".

He said the acquisition had gone through all legal procedures and what was left for any party to do was to claim compensation and "nothing else, all that they purport to do is illegal as same constitute trespassory".

He said the land in question was not developed as they contend but" they are selling at an alarming rate to cause people to develop at a faster rate".