The Lands Commission under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has asked individuals with vested interests in some lands located at Mpehuasem, to approach the commission with documents in view of that.
According to the commission, contrary to claims in a statement issued by the Chief of Mpehuasem, Nii Torgbor Obodai VI, it has only sought to recover encroached portions of some state lands located in the area.
The ministry’s response comes after Mantse Nii Torgbor Obodai VI alleged the abuse of state power in the demolition of properties of legitimate landowners and causing threat of danger to residents in his jurisdiction.
But in a statement dated April 21, 2022, the Lands Commission said the government of Ghana, through a legislative instrument in 1974, acquired “a parcel of land, originally measuring approximately two hundred and twenty-five point one eight acres (225.18 acres) as state land.”
The commission noted that the pre-acquisition owners despite their knowledge that the government had acquired the said land, continued to grant portions to prospective developers resulting in massive encroachment on the land.
“Following negotiations, Government entered into an agreement with the pre-acquisition owners of the land, dated 16th December 2008, by which Government agreed to release one hundred and fourteen
point zero five acres (114.055 acres) of the land to the pre-acquisition owners, and retain
one hundred and eleven point one two five acres (111.125 acres), including about fifty acres which houses the Accra College of Education.
“By the said Agreement, the pre-acquisition owners, in consideration of the land released to them, renounced any future claims to the part of the land retained by the Government.
“Pursuant to the said Agreement, E.I. 72 of 1974 was revoked and replaced with State Land —(Accra-Mpehuasem — Site for Accra Training College) Instrument, 2009 (E.I. 16), which reduced the size of the land acquired by the Government from 225.t8 acres to the 111.125 acres retained by Government and released the remaining 114.055 acres to the pre-acquisition owners,” the commission said.
The Lands Commission emphasized that no person other than the state institution is versed with the right to make valid grants of lands retained by government under E.I. 16 of 2009 and that the said land, in line with the dictates of the constitution, has been under its management since government acquired it in 1974.
The commission said it has since issued public notices, informing prospective developers that any grant issued by a stool, clan, family or individual on the lands in question is unlawful, void and confers no title on the guarantee of the land.
The Lands Commission said it has since engaged the services of a private company to reclaim encroached portions of the land belonging to the state, urging that any individual or group with interest in the land in question should approach it for verification.
“In accordance with the highest standards of transparency, the Commission, on 6ᵗʰ April, 2022, issued a public notice, notifying occupants of the said area of the appointment of Aynok Holdings Limited and its intention to clear the area for the redevelopment of the land. It is the expectation of the Commission that any person who claims to have an interest in any part of the land will approach the Commission for verification.
The Commission wants to assure the general public that as the manager of public lands, it will continue to act in the interest of the state to protect all public lands. Any person who claims to have an interest in any part of the Mpehuasem public land should approach the Commission with his/her documents,” the commission added.