Do you still own your land in Madina, Oyarifa or any of the 70 villages affected by the SC Numo family ruling?

The Supreme Court of Ghana (SC) affirmed its judgement that the Numo Nmashie Family of Teshie are not the owners of 70 villages, which occupies over 72,000 acres of lands in the Greater Accra Region, as they hold themselves to be.

The court ordered the Lands Commission to expunge all registrations and certificates issued to the Numo Nmashie Family of Teshie, and the Tetteh Olewolon Family, in respect of the 72,000 acres.

The villages affected include Peduase, Obuom, Nsakye, Agyemanti, Brotrease, Danfa, Adoteiman, Otinibi, Malidzano, Okyrekomfo Kotei, Taboadidi, Ayim, Adenkrebi, Abefia, Ayimensa, Kweiman, Odonkorkurom and Kwadwokurom.

Others are Otiakurum, Otopram, Brekusu, Kponko, Dedekurom, Sesemi, Teiman, Papao, Ogbodzo, Adaman, Mpehuasem, Otinshi, Otanor, La-Bawaleshie, Tesa, Adjiringano, Okpoi Gonno, Manmormo, Oshiyie, Amanfro, Bobamase, Abokobi, Nyamekurom, Oyarifa and Ogoha.

The rest are Ajangote, Akpomang, Boi, Pantang, Sempene, Frafraha, Apenkwa, Abladdzei, Ankome, Ashonman, Agbogba, Adenta, Otuwa, Madina, Nkwantanang, Ashale-Botwe, Atwuo-Okuman, Martey Tsuru, Gbatsuma, Okpegon, Ablekuma, Odediben, Agbleshia, Alegon, Mangoase, Teshie and Kpeshie Ridge.

Does the order of the court mean that all the persons who have acquired land from the Numo Nmashie Family and the Tetteh Olewolon Family lost their lands?

The Supreme Court in its order clarified that persons who have bought lands in the 70 villages from the two families should not be evicted from them.

It said that persons who bought lands from these families are just to recognize the new owner of the lands as its landlord.

“That all third parties in possession and deriving title through the Numo Nmashie Family prior to the Supreme Court judgment are not to be dispossessed but are to attorn tenancy to the relevant stools or families as the case may be,” part of the court's order reads.

The clarification by the Supreme Court was an affirmation of its judgment dated March 22, 2023, in favour of the Boi Stool and 13 others.

The panel that made the judgment had Justice Jones Victor Mawulorm Dotse, as the presiding judge, with Justices Issifu Omoro Tanko Amadu, Nene Abayateye Ofoe Amegatcher, Avril Lovelace-Johnson and Emmanuel Yonny Kulendi, as members.

Read the full clarification by the court below:

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