CULTURAL NEWS
Friday, October 12, 2007
CHIEF WORRIED OVER APREMDO LAND CRISIS
By: CLEMENT ADZEI-BOYE, TAKORADI
The president of the Western Regional House of Chiefs, Awulae Attibrukusu III, has condemned the recent crisis over the ownership of lands at Apremdo in Ahanta.
He told journalist here on Wednesday that the utterance of Nat Panyin and the seven persons who profess to be heads of families (Abusuapanyin) of Apremdo is a recipe for chaos in the region.
Awulae Attibrukusu said this following the demand by Nat Panyin and seven elders of the area that, the acting Regional Lands Officer, Mr. Seraphim Hans-Jorie should be removed from office because he connived with the Gyasehene, Nana Nware Erziah of Apremdo, to sell family lands.
On September 20, they again accused him of undermining the authority of Otumfuo Baidoo Bonse XV, the Ahantahene.
But, Awulae Attibrukusu explained that, Nat Panyin had no legal standing to ask that the Regional Lands Officer was removed from office.
He told journalist that, Panyin could not write to the Minister of Lands, Mines and Forestry that a committee empanelled to investigate Apremdo land crisis, was null and void, and should be scrapped. “What legal capacity has Nat to ask that a legal committee is dissolved. Is he legal entity?
Awulae Attibrukusu, who is also a member of the Regional Lands Commission said that Panyin had no right to arrogate certain powers onto himself, saying that the committee n Apremdo will continue to pursue justice, fairness and transparency in land administration.
The Lands Commission, he said, would not be influenced by anybody, adding, “if we don’t take care. Takoradi will outstrip Accra in land litigations.”
Mr. Hans-Jorie said that he was aware of Nat Panyin’s evil machinations and allegedly falsifying documents and signatures of dead people to process land documents.
Last Tuesday, Nat Panyin and the seven family heads again complained that. Mr Hans-Jorie continued to deal with Gyasehene, Nana Ezriah despite that he has been deposed.
But Mr. Hans-Jorie told the Times that the commission had no document that, Nana Ezriah had been removed as regent.
“If they have document, they should prove it,” he said.
*Source:
The Ghanaian Times Friday, October 12, 2007 Page: 16
|