Lands Commission to suspend allocation of plots in Sunyani

Sunyani, Jan. 8, GNA - The Association of Family Heads and Landowners in Sunyani have appealed to the Brong-Ahafo Regional Secretariat of the Lands Commission to suspend the allocation of plots in the regional capital, especially in Adomako and Asufufu, until a satisfactory deal is reached with it.

The association made the request on Wednesday at a press conference where the family heads and landowners, both men and women, were in mourning clothes with red bands around their necks. They complained that since the Sunyani lands were vested in the government in 1961/62 due to certain developments in the area, staff of the regional secretariat of the Lands Commission "had assumed the status of legitimate or original owners of Sunyani lands."

"They prepare planning schemes, sell the building plots to enrich themselves, put up houses of their own, acquire both commercial and private cars and other property without the least consideration for the real owners of the land and their families."

Mr Joseph Kwaku Nkrumah Oppong, chairman of the association, who addressed the conference, recalled that on June 30, 2001, the affected as well as concerned family heads and landowners petitioned the President to intervene to allow them to be involved in managing Sunyani lands.

The issue was referred to the then Regional Minister, Mr Ernest Akubour Debrah, who delegated his deputy, Mr Yaw Adjei Duffour to meet the stakeholders for an amicable solution.

Mr Oppong said at a meeting held at the instance of Mr Debrah, it was agreed that "every land owner be allocated one-third of the total building plots his or her piece of land would contain." "It is very sad to note that the Lands Commission has completely abandoned this procedure."

"The Commission started with the new deal with a land owner and his or her entire family received 14 out of 50 plots and was asked to pay seven million cedis in addition, failure of which he or she would lose even the 14 plots.''

Mr Oppong said another landowner was allocated 16 out of more than 100 plots and was asked to pay eight million cedis or lose the 16 plots. Similarly, at the Asufufu planning scheme along the Sunyani-Atronie road, 27 landowners paid for the survey work on 583 plots.

The deal made allocations of 286 plots to the landowners, 50 plots to Sunyani traditional council, 62 plots for protocol allocation while 170 plots were reserved for the Lands Commission possibly for government projects.

Mr Oppong said the Commission had also shelved this proposal, neglected the landowners and had secretly started selling the plots to certain individuals and "we have evidence on that."

The association advised the public not to buy any plot of land at Adomako and Asufufu from the Lands Commission secretariat without the knowledge of the owners "since the development of such plots would be vehemently resisted." 08 Jan. 04