Ashaiman NDC encroaching on my land - Man cries out

Alhassan Mumuni, 75, and Chief of Samireh in Ashaiman is pleading with President John Dramani Mahama to call on the Ashaiman branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) to stop developing his plot of land for its constituency office.

The land, adjacent to the Asensu Bar main mosque, Chief Alhassan Mumuni, told The Chronicle, was acquired by him and his twin sister, forty years ago, but could not develop it and so they leased it to petty traders and television repairers.

The land size, he explained, measured 50 by 50 meter square, and so part of it was leased out for temporary structures that housed some families.

He said in August this year, some youth, under no security, stormed the land and abruptly destroyed all the temporary structures -mainly wooden and containers -and the goods and electrical gadgets.

“When I approached them to enquire their unlawful action, the leader of the thugs told me that the NDC in Ashaiman hired them to clear the land for the construction of their constituency office,” Chief Alhassan noted.

He mentioned a top NDC official, as the one who clandestinely led in the forceful grabbing of his land.

Chief Alhassan Mumuni told The Chronicle that on September 1, 2016, he got a court order to stop the development on his land from the Tema Circuit Court ‘B’.

However, the NDC in the Ashaiman Constituency had disregarded the order and were fast developing his property under some NDC security guards on the site.

“At the moment, I am helpless because I have spent all my money at the police station and court to fight for my land. I need President Mahama to call his people to order to release my land, which I leased out to fend for myself and sister,” he said with teary eyes.

He said several attempts to meet the Ashaiman NDC executive on the matter had been unsuccessful, as the members had continuously demonstrated their non-readiness to meet him.

Moro Masahudu, Beriberi chief for the Ashaiman and Zenu communities, later told a section of the media that the said land was offered to him for sale by the Ashaiman Traditional Council, a couple of years ago.

However, he said he declined the offer after his investigations revealed that the land belonged to Chief Alhassan and his twin sister.

“I was, therefore, surprised when I got to hear that the same land had been sold to the Ashaiman NDC, with the top NDC official spearheading the acquisition.” He was not categorical of who could have sold the land to the new owners.

Chief Masahudu said the development could cause a serious tension in the area, thus the need for the national executive of the NDC and President John Mahama to ensure that the land was released to the ‘old man and his sister’.

When The Chronicle contacted Shaddat Umar Jallo, Ashaiman NDC Chairman, on the matter, he said the party or its top official was innocent of Chief Alhassan’s claims that, the NDC had stolen his land.

He explained: “We have a plot of land for the construction of our party office and the land is not sited at Asensu Bar.”

When The Chronicle demanded him to show the location of the land, he said the party had acquired for the construction of its office, Shaddat Jallo said, “I will not show you where it is, but I maintain that the plot of land Chief Alhassan is talking about is not being developed by the NDC in Ashaiman.”

However, Ibrahim Baidoo, Ashaiman Chief Executive, told a section of the media that sought to know whether the assembly was aware of such project as it had the sole right to grant building permit, he mentioned that Kofi Adams, National Organizer of the NDC owned the land.

Again, Mr. Baidoo said the building was a private one, but not for the NDC in Ashaiman.

Ibrahim Baidoo was, however, reluctant to give further information on how Kofi Adams acquired the land or whether the said property indeed belonged to Chief Alhassan and his twin sister.