The Chief of Opembo near Awutu Bawjiase in the Central Region, Nai Baah II has been accused of deploying dubious tactics, with the help of the police in Bawjiase to reclaim the land legally acquired by the Countryside Children’s Welfare Home from the late Chief of the town, Nai Asomaning I over thirty years ago and duly registered.
According to information received by this media, the Chief’s move, with the aid of the police, follows the death of the husband of the founder of the Home, Captain (rtd.) Joe Yeboah about seven years ago, and the current ill health of the founder, Mrs. Emma Boafo Yeboah.
According to our information, the Chief has on his own will graded part of the remaining 13-acre land reserved by the Home for future development, cutting down logs from the reserve, even without permission from the Forestry Commission in the area.
The information further reveals that at a certain point, the son of the founder of the Home, Mr. Michael Wilson had information that the Chief, Nai Baah had sent a chainsaw operator into the reserve to cut down some logs, so he, Michael Wilson called officers from the Forestry Commission who accompanied him into the reserve, but the chainsaw operator took to his heels and fled, upon seeing them.
The information indicates that later the Chief went to the police at Bawjiase and lodged a complaint that Michael Wilson had threatened him with a cutlass.
He was therefore arrested on the 6th of June this year and detained in cells, allegedly on the orders of the District Police Commander, Ms. Felicia Ayensu.
When contacted to ascertain the facts of the case, Mr. Michael Wilson affirmed the information, noting that even the Forestry Commission guards who accompanied him into the reserve on that fateful day, upon hearing of his arrest came to the police station to testify that none of them was holding a cutlass when they went into the reserve, but the police Commander ordered their arrest and detained them in cells.
Though the case is currently before the Court in Agona Swedru, indications are that the Chief is bent to use every means possible, including the police to reclaim the land legally acquired by the Orphanage from his predecessor, a situation which poses serious threat to the survival of the Home and also a great source of worry.
By: Robert Ayanful