Tension mounts at Mallam Junction

…As Self-styled Chief Foments Trouble Using Land Guards

The peaceful atmosphere enjoyed by the people of Mallam Junction and its environs has suffered a great setback with the entry of one self-styled chief at the place a few months ago.

Known popularly as Papamku, a known land guard of Weija years back, Papamku has styled himself as a chief of Mallam Junction with the stool name, Nii Okogyabour, a few months ago, thereby, not only walking into controversy, but also troubling the peace of the area, as many are those who have been at the receiving end of his reign of terror.

Victims & Activities

According to information stumbled upon by our roving scouts, some of the people who have been at his receiving end include the Local GPRTU at Mallam Junction, Chinese owned CAITEC Company, Pambros Salt Producing Company, Traders at the Mallam Market, and a host of residents in the Mallam Junction vicinity, who have acquired genuine papers from the Gbawe Authorities, reputed to be the real owners of the lands at Mallam Junction and its environs. 

Our information has it, that Nii Okogyabour’s land guards would go round the vicinity, to people constructing buildings and ask them to produce permit. But even before they could do so, they are slapped with huge illegal fines amidst torments. These marauding squads, masquerading as Papamku boys are often reported to be on speeding and noise-making motor bykes thereby causing fear and panic, and thus subjecting the people to live in morbid fear since no one dares stand the once-feared-treaded land guard Papamku, of Weija who now goes about as Chief.

We have gathered further that Nii Okoyeabour’s boys have gone to the Local GPRTU at Mallam Junction to demand tolls from them for the new chief of the area. Similarly, CAITEC and other companies around have been approached by the self-styled chief’s treaded boys for tolls and taxes. All these and many others are said to have been reported to the police, as they abound at Mallam and Odorkor Police Stations, our sources have it.

Division at Mallam Market

According to our information, since Nii Okogyeabour entered the scene, there has been sharp division between traders at the Mallam Market, with one division belonging to Market Queen firmly routing for the new controversial chief, while the other belonging to one GNAT, chairman of the market standing for the Gbawe Authorities. 

Our information has it that prior to the entry of Nii Okogyeabour, traders at the market used to pay some tolls to the Gbawe Authorities besides the one they pay to the Ga South Municipal Assembly. However, since Nii Okogyeabour came, he has organized traders against paying those dues to the Gbawe Authorities. A situation that sparked off riots leading to the arrest and intended prosecution of the perpetrators, police have said.

Police at Cross Roads

Cross checks from the Mallam and Odorkor Police stations indicated that issues concerning the activities of Nii Okogyeabour made so far and reported to the police have not been dealt with, for various reasons. 

According to Supt. Douglas Kumah, Commander of Odorkor District Police Headquarters, the problems at Mallam Market, Junction and their environs had been of great concern to him and his men. He indicated that they had intervened many times, but to no avail. 

Supt. Kumah pointed out that the issues there centered on chieftaincy and land, and as policemen, they cannot meddle into the affairs of these, until a court order is given, whereby they can act effectively.

He stated that there were three gates contesting those lands in question. These gates he mentioned as Gbawe, Sempe and Englaisi Alata, with each claiming ownership.

The police Capo indicated that these cases are purely civil with most of them pending in court. He mentioned that until the court comes out with an order, the police cannot act. 

According to him, with the entry of Nii Okogyeabour there a few months back, his office had been inundated with calls on the activities of the new chief and his boys. He was however quick to point out that most of these calls have been without substance, thereby lacking in evidence for police to act.

He stated that apart from the rioting marketing women, and one guy, how was reported to have entered the market on a noisy and speedy motor bike, who are being prepared for prosecution, other calls tend out to be rumors, here say and exaggeration, thereby falling flat in the face of evidence for police to act. He also quick pointed out that perpetrators so arrested are denied by the chief, though he fails to respond to most of their invitations. 

According to our observations, with the protracted settlement of cases in the court between Englaisi Alata and Gbawe, the people of Alata feel hurt and cheated by way of tolls from the market, hence bringing on board the dreaded land guard Papamku as Chief. This however has not helped matters at all.

More controversies 

Within a short time, the self-styled chief was able to put up a structure, he calls his palace, basically under the fly-over of the NY1 Road at Mallam Junction. This structure he put up without recourse to any permit from the Municipal Assembly, who are also looking on haplessly. When this reporter called on the MCE on December 27 December 2019, for his comments, he declined to see him.

Freedom Chapel Joins the Fray

According to documents cited, the Freedom Chapel Church International, now Parliament Church under the leadership of Apostle Francis Amoako-Attah, is also laying claim to that piece of land Nii Okogyeabour had put on his palace. However, this has not gone down well with the Chief and his boys, thereby landing them all at the Okorkor Police station with the Okogyeabour’s boys threatening mayhem.

Meanwhile, it has been gathered further that Nii Okogyeabour made his declaration without recourse to police permission either. It has been gathered further, that the New Chief has been member of National Security the present Government, hence his undaunted and unbridled exploits and skirmishes

Gbawe Youth brace up but Leader Calms down Nerves

According to our information, in what they angry youth of Gbawe see as daring them too much, they have braved themselves up for a possible clash with the so-called new chief ad his masqueraders, because they think that “enough is enough”.

However, Nii Adam Kwatei Quartey, head of Family for the Gbawe stole, has calmed down their nerves. The octogenarian Family Head, maintained that as law-abiding citizens, they respect the law. Also they have trust in the Government. He was by this publication, calling on government to step in immediately before things get out of hand.

All efforts to reach the controversial chief and his alleged P.R.O on Nos. 0242506008 and 0243122885 respectively proved futile, since their owners failed to respond.

Source: S.O Ankamah