Traditional leaders in the communities of Kweiman, Danfa, and Amlenhia in Accra are demanding urgent government action following a mysterious demolition exercise carried out on a disputed parcel of land recently returned to them by the state.
The land, part of the defunct government dairy farm established in the 1960s, was released back to the chiefs following a white paper issued by the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration. The document granted 40 percent of the acquired land—initially taken without compensation—back to the original custodians.
However, tensions have been mounting since the release. The chiefs claim that some individuals, allegedly with connections in government, have been working behind the scenes to reduce their rightful share of the land. To address these concerns, the current administration ordered an audit to bring clarity to the land’s demarcation and usage.
But just three days into the audit process, bulldozers moved in and demolished several structures already developed under the supervision of the chiefs. No court order was presented, and no prior notice was given.
Nii Djanie Tsuru Afutu Brempong IV, Chief of Danfa, expressed shock at the development, describing it as a deliberate act meant to frustrate the audit and dispossess the chiefs of their land.
> “This is not just a demolition. It is a calculated attempt by certain selfish individuals to frustrate the ongoing audit and undermine our rightful claim to the land,” he said.
The chiefs suspect some elders from the neighbouring Oyarifa community may be involved. According to them, these individuals had previously tried to claim portions of the land but were rejected based on official records.
Nii Djani Klu, spokesperson for the chiefs, called on the Inspector General of Police to probe the conduct of officers who supervised the demolition exercise.
> “We have reasons to believe some individuals from Oyarifa orchestrated this. We’re calling on the IGP to investigate the police officers who supervised this illegal act without any court order,” he stated.
Oyarifa Chief’s Office Condemns Demolition
In a swift response, the spokesperson for the Chief of Oyarifa, Nii Worlangoo, distanced the chief from the incident. He clarified that only one family from Oyarifa acted independently and that the chief neither sanctioned nor supported the exercise.
> “This action was not sanctioned by the Oyarifa chief. It was carried out by just one family, acting on their own. We condemn the demolition and any act that seeks to disrupt the peaceful relations between our communities,” Nii Worlangoo stated.
As of the time of filing this report, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has not issued a public statement on the matter.