Osu kingmakers call for interdiction of national security heads
The kingmakers and elders of Osu have reinforced their stand for the interdiction of the National Security Coordinator and his Director of Operations with immediate effect.
They claimed the two persons ordered for the demolishing of their boundary walls on a parcel of land situated at the Achimota lands.
The kingmakers made the call at a news conference addressed by Nii Ako Nortei IV, the Osu Stool Mankralo on behalf of Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI, the Paramount Chief of the Osu at the International Press Centre in Accra.
He said: “It is important to put things into perspective that, the land in question is not part of the Achimota Forest and our boundaries are clearly demarcated.
“We believe in the rule of law which is supreme in the State,” and that “we litigated with the Lands Commission and the Attorney General of which we obtained series of judgments in our favour over a period of five years.”
Nii Nortei said greater portion of their lands have been taken by successive governments using Executive Instrument (E.I. 31) for national key purposes for example the Accra Sports Stadium, Parliament House, State House, Ridge bungalows, Flagstaff House and the ministries.
Others are the former race course of which has been turned into a world class hotel (Kemperski Hotel) while “portions have been sold on the open market for millions of dollars without the consent of the Osu Stool”.
“This is a complete departure from the purposes for which they were acquired.”
He said the original ‘Hausa’ Reserve extending from Ridge to parts of Airport were acquired by the colonial administration with the intention of reverting them to the Stool after 100 years per the instruction of King George II.
Nii Nortei said Osu Stool granted leases to certain individuals and companies in the Osu Mantse layout in the 1940’s and were supposed to be renewed by the stool at their expiration, but all have been taken by the Lands Commission.
“Do not forget that, per the Constitution the sovereignty of the country rest with the people of Ghana which Osu is part. Why have you left the lands in the hinterlands intact while taking ours from us. It is so unfair and makes us sad.
“These institutions which have benefitted so much from our resources have never even considered any affirmative action to raise the level of education among the indigenes of the Ga State who have been so marginalised.”
Source: GNA