Minister accused of illegal sale of lands

A large number of aggrieved youth, numbering close to 200 from La yesterday thronged the Ashiyie land site to demonstrate against the appointment of the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Afotey Agbo over allegations that he collaborated with Regimanuel Gray and Japan Motors to encroach on the land mass off the Dodowa road.

Addressing the media at the scene of the demonstration, the leader of the youth group, WOI (rtd) Nickson Tetteh said, the people of La and Gas in general have been treated with scorn and utter disrespect when it comes to land issues by the very strangers they welcome into their fold, sometimes sadly with support from some influential people of their own kind.

The youth leader said, “These supposed strangers do not have any regards not only for our customary laws but even the laws of this country or judgments of our courts… because even though an injunction has been slapped on Japan Motors, a company owned by a Lebanese who controls the most prime areas of our lands since 16th March 2011, it continues to operate on these lands with three others in the suit numbered AL164/2008 with the title LA Divisional Council Vrs Japan Motors.”

Retired WOI Tetteh further cited the minister as the linchpin behind what he described as the recalcitrance of the encroachers and called on government to reprimand the regional minister.

Again, he charged that “Nii Afotye Agbo’s retention as a regional minister has been a slap in the face of us the La people since this individual has been at the helm of every possible scheme to steal our ancestral lands and has collaborated with all manner of companies to encroach our lands.

“Since all appeals to government and police to intervene and ensure that the right things are done have so far failed us so we have resolve to act as police and land guards of our own property,” he added.

The youth leader sounded a note of caution to all estate developers that for as they refuse to pass through due process to acquire lands from the original owners they shall not have peace.

The group also urged government to take steps to pay all compensation due the La people for the several acquisitions of its lands whiles warning the Animal Research Institute to desist from its intended demolition of houses as they do not own lands within that jurisdiction because any such action will be met by lawful resistance.