Friday, July 23, 2010

ASANTEHENE WORRIED ABOUT LAND DISPUTES (PAGE 22, JULY 23, 2010)

THE Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu has expressed concern about the numerous disputes arising in the traditional areas as a result of the multiple sale of stool lands.
He has therefore advocated the prosecution of chiefs who indulge in such actions.
Interacting with the Management of Mckeown Investment Company, real estate developers who paid a courtesy call on him at the Manhyia palace, Otumfuo Osei Tutu said it was very important for traditional rulers to seek the services of professional surveyors to demarcate their stool lands properly.
He said that would not tempt them to sell one to plot to two or more people.
The Asantehene stated that some chiefs did not only indulge in the multiple sale of stool lands, but also refused to provide documents covering the sale of such lands, warning that such criminal attitude would not be tolerated.
A statement issued from the Manhyia Palace and signed by the Media Relations Manager, Mr G.B. Osei-Antwi, quoted Otumfuo Osei Tutu as cautioning traditional rulers who failed to support the development initiatives in their communities and those who refused to account for the numerous lands sold to developers to turn over a new leaf.
“Some chiefs sell stool lands and pocket the money without leaving part of the amount received for the development of their communities,” the statement said, adding “such monies are used by chiefs as chop money, which they cannot account for at any point in time.”
It said it was the multiple sales of stool lands that had contributed to the numerous land disputes in the traditional areas, warning that the Asantehene would no more tolerate “any chief who cannot account for the sale of stool lands when he appears before him.”
The statement noted with concern the effects of disposing lands without any benefit to their subjects.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu said the present and future generations were likely to suffer from the greed of chiefs who sold land without investing the monies accrued from the sales.
Commending the Management of Mckeown Real Estate Developers for their sense of initiative, Otumfuo Osei Tutu urged traditional rulers to partner them to provide houses to people in their respective communities to reduce the accommodation problems facing them.
“You can release large tracts of land for such a project by using your lands as equity to collaborate with estate developers which will benefit communities in future,” he stressed.
Earlier, the Chief Executive of Mckeown Estate Developers, Mr Clement Wilkinson gave the assurance that they were ready to partner chiefs to initiate housing projects to ease the accommodation problems facing Ghanaians.
He said after acquiring the land, they provided facilities like roads, electricity, police stations and schools for the communities.

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