There is tension simmering between Akyem Engresi traditional council and Krobo settlers in Kwateso a farming community in Atiwa East District in Eastern Region.
The tension has escalated in the last days after the Chief of Engresi Osabarima Sarfo Kyei Kantanka barred the Krobos in the Kwateso community from burying their dead relatives on the land.
The Chief of Engresi further ordered each Krobo resident in the Kwateso community to produce a land title document or risk being chased out of the community.
This was announced through an information center to the Krobo settlers.
“We heard the announcement by Engresi chief that he has issued a month ultimatum to us to leave Kwateso. Again, anyone who is buried at Kwateso will be exhumed and dumped in our houses so we can go and bury it in Somanya. This is not fair to us” a resident said
Abusuapanyin Kwasi Dankwah who spoke on behalf of the Kweteso chief and residents told the media at a press conference that their forefathers purchased the land from Muoso chiefs over hundred years ago and settled on it.
“Our forefathers purchased Kwateso lands from Muoso. We have since lived peacefully with them but for Engresi chief he wants to invade the community and sack us. So we are appealing to our MP Hon Abena Osei Asare, our DCE, Police commander, and Regional Minister to all intervene in this matter. We are also appealing to IGP to Intervene. We need peace not war”
However, the Chief of Engresi is disputing these claims.
The Chief, Osabarima Sarfo Kyei Kantanka said the Krobo resident has failed to honor summons by Okyenhene Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin overlord of Akyem Abuakwa stool lands on the matter rather wrote a letter through their lawyer.
“The order is that they should properly register the lands they occupying failure to do so they should leave the community. You can’t live on Okyeman land and disrespect Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin Kwaebibiremhene summoned them but they rather wrote a letter through a useless letter to Osagyefuo that he can go to court. This fight is not Osagyefuo’s fight it is me Chief of Engresi in charge of this area that is fighting for him”
The Chief of Engresi emphasized “So my order is that their forefathers came to settle here to farm not to bury the dead. Henceforth, nobody should bury any dead body on the land. I will direct my men to exhume any dead body buried after this order and dump same in their houses. Anyone who has built at Kwateso should come and properly register the land if you have not done the same. I will use all legal and traditional means to take back my land”.
Engresi chief, however, said “I am not saying and am sacking them they should produce land documents if it has expired they have the opportunity to renew it. If they fail to honor this order, and they continue to disrespect Okyenhene, we will show them the might of Okyeman”
Bryt News has however gathered that the land dispute has erupted due to the discovery of large quantities of gold in the Kwateso community.
Source: Mybrytnewsroom.com/Obed Ansah
