By: Justice Appiah
The Nii Okantsuru family of Adenta La in the Adentan municipality here in Accra is calling on government to as a matter of urgency intervene in a matter of landguards encroaching and terrorizing them on their land.
According to them, the family has been battling these encroachments and intimidations since 2006.
Addressing the media at a press conference, Spokesperson for the family, Nii Adjetey Okantsuru disclosed that although the encroachment started in 2006, the situation got worse in 2018 when a notorious land guard by name Vandam and his gang allegedly supported by a self-acclaimed chief with political connections began to visit mayhem on them.
The family further alleged that the said land guard and his team are involved in training of other land guards who are terrorizing the Nii Okantsuru family and persons who purchased lands from them.
They say, several attempts to get the Police to ensure law and order has been unsuccessful and however wonder how a peace-loving and law-abiding nation can degenerate such that people can harass and terrorize others and still have their way without appropriate sanctions being brought to bear.
The family believes that the daily victimization and land guard terror at Amanfro are as a result of the vague and indistinct land boundary between New Amanfro and Katamanso.
The Nii Okantsuru family says what can undoubtedly save them from the horrible spectacle of abuse, intimidation and harassment by these land guards is for government acting through the Lands Commission and the Boundary Commission to delineate and demarcate land borders between La and Nungua lands at Amanfro and Katamanso.
The family further expressed frustration over the happenings and further called on government to save the situation from getting out of hands as the anxious youth appear to be disillusioned as a result of the seeming inaction on the part of the Ghana Police Service.
They stressed that over several decades they have tried to end these challenges but the situation rather escalates without seeing an end in sight.
The Nii Okantsuru family added that the over 80-acre titled land at Amanfro has been encroached by land guards and the police appear helpless because of some highly connected interested parties who are aiding these land guards to illegally and forcefully take over these lands knowing very well that it does not belong to them.
Meanwhile, Chief Executive Officer of Black Chase Security and CPS Corporate Protection Security who has the power of attorney to protect the Okantsuru family lands, Nii Laryea Otiajasu expressed frustration over the situation.
Narrating his ordeal, he disclosed that about 5 years ago, a house he built on a land he acquired from the Okantsuru family was demolished by land guards who further chased and threatened to kill him if he steps a foot on the land after confronting them.
Nii Laryea Otiajasu I who is also the Akwashontse of Dedeiman traditional area disclosed that the matter was then reported to the police with who conducted a search which proved that the land belonged to the Nii Okantsuru family.
He also appealed to the appropriate authorities to take action since it is an election and such land guards are not only visiting mayhem on land owners but are also being trained on how to shoot.