Fear grips Samsam communities as gun-wielding landguards undertake sand winning
Residents of Samsam Odumase and other six surrounding communities in the Ga West Municipality are living in fear due to sand winning activities of gun-wielding land guards.
They have therefore called on the government for immediate intervention to save lives and property as tension was in the area.
The other communities are; Korleman, Samsam Canaan, Samsam Odarteiman, Samsam Otswemba, Samsam Mpehuasem and Samsam Otaomina.
Emmanuel Nii Adjetey Adjei, a former Assemblyman and the spokesperson for the communities at a news conference at Samsam Odumase said irresponsive posture of Adjen Kotoku and Amasaman had heightened the fear and the tension in the communities.
He said they had lodged several complaints to the two police stations, but to no avail while the activities of the sand winning were ongoing to the detriment of the livelihood of the farming communities.
“Since October 22, 2020, a man, whose only name we know as Mr Annan, has been making claims that the land on which the Samsam communities are situated belongs to his ancestors, and that he has documents to support his claims,” Nii Adjetey Adjei said, adding that; “On this basis Mr Annan has established a sand winning site at Samsam Odumase.”
He said: “For Mr Annan to facilitate his operations has hired a group of notorious land guards to the site who do not only provide security, but also terrorise, beat anybody who question them with the threat of death.” The former Assemblyman who is also a retired lecturer said the sand winning activities of the land guards had destroyed several acres of farmlands of the residents, who were into pineapple, cassava, yam and plantain farming.
“We are law-abiding and peace-loving citizens, hence our call on the government for immediate intervention to stop the activities of the land guards and avert any calamity,” Nii Adjetey Adjei said.
Abusuapanyin Kofi Akotia said: “Even though we are peaceful people, we will not sit aloof and watch an individual with the help of land guards to take away what rightfully belongs to us,” and therefore pleaded with the Inspector General of Police for immediate action on the matter.
Source: GNA