After the Achimota Forest Brouhaha: Pokuase Land Issue also pops up

With the Achimota Forest land issue still running fresh in the media circles, another one, the Pokuase Agric Land has also popped up with some government officials haven been fingered in the whole caboodle.

Alordia owners of the said land, Nii Dodoo Clottey Family of Pokuase, have subsequently appealed to the government to be neutral in the said land while keeping its appointees with vested interest off.

“We don’t know any MCE, MP, or any Government officials in this case. What we are saying is that, we are the allodial owners of the said land. Therefore, all interested parties and government officials hiding behind power to lay claim to the land must keep off, before it is too late” they sounded .

They maintained that they will resist any attempt by any one to take over their land by whatever means. This came top light during a press conference organized by the family at the Pokuase Palace last Tuesday, May 31, 2022.

Setting the Records Straight

In their, statement, ably read by Albert Amponsah Dodoo, Principal Secretary to the family, they maintained that they are the allodial owners of the Agric land and that they shared no boundary with anyone with regard to the 532.47 acre stretch of the land in question.

Background

According to the statement, Gordon Gurgisberg administration then of the Gold Coast, initiated an acquisition programme with the family in the 1940s for that land for pig farming. The statement pointed out further that the family was represented in this transaction by Nii Dodoo Kobla, who unfortunately died in 1947. He was however substituted by Kpakpa Quartey and 162.656 – acre land of the total acrage of 532.47 was released in this transaction and dully delineated on site plan NO. LD 359/1310.

The Agric Land

According to the statement the piggery project could not come on due to the destructive effects of tsetseflies in the area. A small portion of the land was however allocated to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) for plant and animal research, so the place became known as the “Agric Land. Now since the purpose for which it was acquired was abandoned, a large portion of has been lying idle for about 70years, and this the land must be reverted to the allodial corners – The Nii Dodoo Clottey Family of Pokuase, and for this reason, the family has applied to the lands Commission for the regularization of same, “the statement pointed out.

Infiltration by faceless owners

The statement went on further, that as the family embarked on their journey of regularization of the land they gathered that the Abola Piam Family which is also a sub clan of the Ga Traditional Council just as the Dodoo family, is seriously trying to lay claim to their Agric land, for this reason, its members are penetrating the corridors of power The Presidency Lands Commission, the Police Headquarters and allied institutions in their bid to claim the land, which does not belong to them.

We Will Resist Any Attempt by Anybody to Claim Our Land

While stressing that the would sit down for anybody to Takeover their land their land, the family members pointed out that even two of the children of Nii Dodoo Kobla were present at the Conference they are Mad. Grace Dakwa Dodoo, (Currently head of the Family and her sister, Mad. Susana Ofeibea Dodoo. Who, they say do not belong to the Abola Piam Family. Also present at the Conference to buttress their claims were, Nii Otoo Kwame V Pokuase Mantse, Nii Ofei Nkwantabisa IV, Dzaasetse of Pokuase, Mrs. Justice Akoto Bamfo, Former Supreme Court Judge and Justice Eva Bannerman Williams, High Court Judge.

Others were, Nii Onamansuro, Akutsontse or Head of a sub at Pokuase; Nuumo Gbelemfo, Gua Wulomo, Mr. Michael Nii Amu Dodoo, Head of the Land (Trust) Committee of the Family and Mr. Aaron Nii Dodoo, Head of the Task Force (Asafo Group) of the family and a number of family members.

Nii Dodoo Clottey Family Land Trust

According to the statement, for the purposes of peace and smooth administration of their land, the family has formed a committee known as the “Nii Dodoo Clottey Family Trust, which is the body mandated on behalf of the family, to run all matters relating to land belonging to the family. It is headed by Mr. Michael Nii Amu Dodoo and supported by Mr. Mumuni Darko Dodoo, Yusif Dodoo and Albert Amponsah Dodoo and others.

The Trust members are trained and have their ID cards and uniforms. Headquartered at the Palace, the statement requested all persons with dealing and transactions both present and past, in respect of lands of the family, to go to the Trust for legalization and rectification. Failure to do that, is at one’s own peril, the statement added.

Family Members Go Red

Apparently displaying their seriousness in the matter, family members wore red attires with red bands around their neck and arms as they put it, “Wo hinmei tsu waa! Y’ani abre kɔɔ!” (Our eyes red!).

By S.O Ankamah