Chief of Aplaku dares encroachers on allocated lands

Accra, April 8, GNA - The chief and elders of Aplaku, a suburb of Accra, has challenged developers on encroached lands meant for a hospital and a school to produce documents of purchase to the Council of Elders or lose their ownership rights.

According to the Aplaku Mantse, Nii Kwei I, he has never sold or ordered the sale of any of the reserved lands to any individual or company, since the said land were meant for development projects for the township.

Speaking to journalists on Saturday at his Palace at Aplaku, on allegations that, he had sold lands meant for development projects in the area, Nii Kwei I, dared all such developers to produce documents bearing his seal or accent to the sale of the lands. "As far as I am concerned, I have never touched those lands, that is why I am challenging all these people to came forward and proof their claim," he said.

He called on government to ensure an immediate demolition of all structures on the said lands, adding that, "the people of Aplaku would no longer tolerate any form of abuse from any quarters". He explained that the three-acre land that was allocated for a clinic and the 70-acre land meant for a senior secondary school and other pre-secondary institutions had now been taken over by certain individuals, who claimed to have bought the land from him. He called on the Ministries of Health, Education, Youth and Sports to wake up to their obligations and ensure that the land allocated for the projects under their ministries were utilised.

Nii Kwei I, said it was sad that the people of Aplaku seemed to have been long left out or forgotten in the sharing of the national cake and called on the government to help develop the area to attract investors, so that the youth could gain employment.

"Currently the town has only one basic institution that serves the increasing population of the area and our children have to compete for seats at the only JSS and even after completion finds it difficult gaining admission into senior secondary schools because there is none in the town," he said.

He noted that the area, though close to the national capital, could not boost of a single firm, industry or institution that could offer employment to the people and this had compelled most of its citizens to go into illegal stone quarrying businesses. "We have the grace of living to see the HIPC completion point and the money gained by Ghana and very soon Ghana will be accessing the Millennium Challenge Account, and Aplaku must not be forgotten any more, when allocating funds for development." 8 April 06