The Presiding Member of Akwapim North Municipal Assembly in the Eastern Region, Nana Asiedu Ofei has reiterated that no chief in the Akwapim enclave can claim the ownership of Kwamoso state farms.
He indicated that the lands did not belong to any stool as is falsely being speculated in and around Kwamoso by some people.
According to Nana Asiedu Ofei, the Ghana government acquired the land from individual owners from Mamfe, Amanokrom, Akropong, and Abiriw and not the stool land of the Kwamoso Asona family.
This reporter understands that the 4739.15 acres of land was negotiated by the government in 1957/1962 and legally acquired by E. I 82 dated 30th July 1974.
The land was acquired under the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) regime to develop the defunct Kwamoso Oil Palm Plantation and later 104 acres of the land were given out for some flood victims at Kwamoso to build new houses.
He said Akuapem has no stool land; therefore, the Kwamoso lands are not stooled land and are therefore owned by individual families.
He said the government should consult people like them when doing an investigation on the said land since he knows more about it.
“I have been the Presiding Member for eight good years and twenty-two years at the Akwapim North Assembly, so I know more when it comes to such cases, hence government should consult me for the history on the said land,” he said.
“Government should deal with the individual farmers directly since he took the land from them not chiefs” he added.
He said, up to date, Ghana Government has not withdrawn the acquisition of Kwamoso state farms, government will publish notice of withdrawal if they intend to do so and the government has not done that, hence the land is still in possession of the government.
He added that Nana Kwame Donkor Kissiedu II, the Akrahene of Akwapim and chief of Kwamoso do stop investors and other individuals who intend to invest positively to benefit the people of Kwamoso and its environs, which according to him is not helping the town to grow in terms of development.
Nana Asiedu Offei has therefore advised the government to give some of the lands to the people of Kwamoso for expansion and also give some of the lands to investors for the project to create employment in the area.
He added that the government should retain some of the lands and the rest should be given to Okuapemhene since he is the custodian of the Akwapim enclave.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com
