Nkwanta Chiefs sue district assembly over land

Nkwanta, Feb 10, GNA - The chiefs and elders of Krontang, a suburb of Nkwanta, have dragged the Nkwanta District Assembly to court for non-payment of full compensation for land on which the assembly and some other state agencies are sited.

The suit, pending at the Jasikan District Magistrates Court, was as a result of claims by chiefs and elders that they were not consulted by the district assembly before granting parts of the land to Millicom Ghana Limited, operators of Tigo and Scancom Ghana Limited operators of Areeba, to erect their masts.

Areeba is already operating in the area while Tigo is yet to commence business.

The chiefs said it was in bad taste for the assembly to demand and collect monies in respect of the use of land they had not fully paid for without a word to the owners of the land.

A source told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Nkwanta that cash received from the district assembly for the 50-acre land was only 4 million cedis paid in July 1999.

He said since then, all attempts by the chiefs and elders to sit down with the assembly for the issue to be settled amicably proved futile.

The source alleged that when the chiefs contacted Mr. Joseph Denteh, District Chief Executive, (DCE), he conceded that the assembly received some money from Scancom, which was being used for development projects.

He said the suit was prompted also by the fact that a document emanating from the assembly, which was seen by the chiefs, purporting that the 4 million cedis paid in 1999 was full payment for the land. When contacted Mr. Jacob Jejite, Counsel for the chiefs and elders of Krontang, confirmed that the assembly had been sued. Nana Afram Kwakru II Chief of Krontang told the GNA that he and his elders were not "against development of the area but interested in the proper thing being done by the assembly".

He said they provided the parcels of land for Nkwanta District Hospital, St. Joseph Hospital, Nkwanta Secondary School, World Vision International and the district assembly among others. Nana Kwakru however said he and his elders would be ready for an out of court settlement.

When reached the District Coordinating Director (DCD) Mr. M.O.K. Nugborlo, admitted that the assembly collected some money from Scancom but could not readily give the amount. The court would commence hearing of the case on February 13, this year.