MMDCE’s dolling out public lands for filling stations

Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives have been accused of encouraging the encroachment of road reservations. They are said to be allocating road reservations for building of filling stations and building plots, under the guise of rezoning.

The National Director of the Department of the Town and Country Planning, Mr. K.D Osei raised the concern at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, when a 19-member National Lands Commission called on the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.

Mr. Osei contended that MMDCE’s are found wanting in the area of rezoning of road reservations which are being turned into filling stations and building lots without restraint.

The Town and Country Planning Director feared that the government would be compelled to pay undue compensation to claimants if the practice goes unchecked. He said as facilitators and implementers of government policies he expected MMDCE’s to help with development and beautification process, instead of encouraging unplanned development of lands in their respective jurisdictions.

The Director announced that a new Bill would soon be passed to replace an old bill enacted in 1945 to enforce regulations for the management of lands. Mr. Osei recommended a meeting by the Lands Commission to sensitize MMDCE’s towards the enforcement of its vision for holistic development of lands.

Taking his turn, the Ashanti Regional chairman of the Lands Commission, Mr. Frank Osei Mensah lamented about the rate at which the catchment areas of Owabi and Barekese dams, as the source of water supply to the Kumasi Metropolis and its environs, are being encroached upon through unchecked human activities.

He said the Lands Commission, under a National Policy, was bent on protecting river bodies and announced that the Commission was going to be tough with encroachers to save the Owabi and Barekese Dams from drying up.