Presidency petitioned over alleged actions of Interior minister

Barely weeks after the Supreme Court delivered a definitive judgment restoring customary land rights to two Ga families in East Dadekotopon area in the Greater Accra Region, a new controversy has emerged, raising concerns about the rule of law and security in the Tse-Addo enclave of Accra.

At the centre of the dispute are allegations against the Minister for the Interior, Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka, who is accused by the affected families of attempting to override a Supreme Court ruling by reallocating the disputed land to the Ahmadiyya Mission—an institution that was not a party to the litigation that culminated in the apex court’s decision.

The claims, which have triggered multiple petitions to the Presidency and Parliament, follow developments on the ground that residents say nearly plunged the area into violent confrontation.

On November 12, 2025, the Supreme Court, presided over by Justice Pwamang, set aside earlier judgments of the High Court and the Court of Appeal in a long-running dispute over a two-acre parcel of land at East Dadekotopon.

In its ruling, the Court described the findings of the lower courts as “perverse” and “inconsistent with the totality of the evidence,” and affirmed that the Ataa Tawiah Tsinaiaatse and Nuumo Ofuli Kwashie families had never relinquished their customary ownership rights, notwithstanding the establishment of the East Dadekotopon Development Trust.

The Court further invalidated land title certificates issued to Hillsview Development Limited and its assignee, Adolph Tetteh Adjei, citing serious procedural breaches.

It held that the families’ 2005 customary grant, being earlier in time and protected under Section 46(1)(f) of PNDCL 152, took precedence over subsequent registrations, particularly where the customary owners were in actual occupation.

The ruling, by law, is final and binding.

Despite the judgment, the affected families allege that the Interior Minister has allegedly sanctioned the deployment of security personnel to the land with the intention of reallocating it to the Ahmadiyya Mission, purportedly on national security grounds.

Family representatives insist that the Mission has no legal or customary claim to the land and was not involved in the court proceedings.

They argue that the alleged move raises serious concerns about executive overreach and preferential treatment.

“The Ahmadiyya Mission was never part of the case that went to the Supreme Court,” said Numo Daniel Kwashie, a representative of the Nuumo Ofuli Kwashie family.

“Yet they are being positioned as beneficiaries of land the Supreme Court has ruled belongs to us.”

Tensions reportedly escalated in recent days when security personnel already stationed on the land came close to clashing with another group of officers allegedly deployed under ministerial direction.

Eyewitnesses say the standoff nearly resulted in a violent confrontation between state security agencies.

Calm was restored following the intervention of the Deputy Director of Operations at the Presidency, Mustapha Gbande, whose involvement is said to have prevented a potentially serious security incident.

In response to the developments, the Ataa Tawiah Tsinaiaatse and Nuumo Ofuli Kwashie families have submitted formal petitions to the President, the Chief of Staff, and the Speaker of Parliament.

The petitions accuse the Interior Minister of abuse of office, disregard for judicial authority, and actions that could destabilise an already tense area.

The families argue that any attempt by an executive authority to sidestep or nullify a Supreme Court judgment through administrative or security measures undermines constitutional governance.

Security analysts have warned that alleged political interference in the dispute could inflame tensions in Tse- Addo, an area with a long history of land-related conflicts.

“When judicial decisions appear to be overridden by executive action, public confidence in the legal system is eroded,” one analyst noted.

“That is when disputes risk escalating beyond the courts.”

Residents have expressed concern that continued deployment of armed personnel without a clear legal mandate could turn the land dispute into a flashpoint for violence.

As pressure mounts on the Presidency and Parliament to intervene, the unfolding situation is being closely watched as a test of Ghana’s commitment to the rule of law and judicial independence.

Efforts to obtain a response from the Interior Minister were ongoing at the time of filing this report.