Residents flee as land guards invade Okantah
Residents of Okantah-Odomase, a farming community near Nsawam, are living in fear as a result of frequent harassment by land-guards in the area.
Nana Kwabena Owusu, Odikro (Chief) of the town, women and children and some youth had therefore fled the town calling on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to urgently come to their aid to protect life and property.
Speaking on behalf of the people with the Ghana News Agency at the weekend, the Odikro said the land-guards were armed with guns and other dangerous weapons terrorizing the people who are predominantly farmers.
Sometimes, he said, women were raped and children prevented from going to school. “They steal our domestic animals such as sheep, goats as well as fowls,” he added.
Nana Owusu told the GNA when he called on Prophet Nana Mbeah, Okyeman Mponoahene (a boundary chief) after they had fled the community. The Okantah-Odomase area comes under the Okyeman.
The Odikro said on February 23, this year he led about 300 residents to demonstrate against two estate developers – Koans and Supreme Jertises for destroying a large portion of their farmlands.
He said due to their protest, the estate developers had now engaged the services of land-guards to intimidate them from going about their normal farming activities.
“I am saying this as a living testimony since I was one day attacked on gun-point by the land-guards and therefore I have to run to Teshie in Accra to seek refuge while other people took cover with friends at Suhum, Coaltar, Nsawam, Aburi and other places,” he stated.
Nana Owusu said he had reported the case to the Nsawam Police, but yet the land-guards were going about with their nefarious activities and therefore appealing to the IGP to come to their aid.
Prophet Nana Mbeah used the occasion to ask all those who had fled the community to come back and also appealed to the IGP and the government to assist them with Police protection.
He said every estate developer in the area should ensure that all their land titles were covered with proper documentation from the Okyeman State Council at Kibi.
Prophet Nana Mbeah added that all occupants on Okyeman Stool land must have their documents duly signed by Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panin II, Okyehene.
Source: GNA