Amoaman youth petition Asantehene over Barekese dam land encroachments in Ashanti Region

Concerned Youth of Amoaman in the Atwima Nwabiagya North district of the Ashanti region has petitioned the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, over encroachment of land on Barekese dam.

The group is appealing to Asantehene to halt farming and building of houses around the dam catchment area to prevent imminent shortage supply of water from the dam to the region.

At a press conference at Amoaman on Wednesday, November 11, 2020, group secretary, Gideon Okyere Afram, accused the Nkonwasoafohene Baffour Dabanka and his elders, for deforesting the area by demarcating the land into plots for sale.

Appealing to Asantehene, he said “banning all activities around the dam, which is the major source of potable water for most residents of Kumasi and other communities, will be protected to produce the 30 million gallons of water every day for both domestic and industrial purposes.”

“It has been circulated that the Nkonwasoafohene has taken the steps in demarcating the land into plots for sale by the approval of Apagyahene, of which we know cannot be true. We have made several appeals to Amoamanhene, Nana Agyenim Boateng, and the district assembly about these illegal activities, but nothing has been done,” he added.

“If the district assembly and the chief of Amoaman fail to protect the land which was given by Asantehene as a ‘thanksgiving’ reward to Amoaman (Amoadan) as a result of our forefathers’ selfless service to Asantehene, we will stake our lives to protect it,” he angrily said.

The group concluded that “until Asantehene speaks or intervenes on our petition, nobody will be allowed to step on the land.