Osu chiefs flex muscle over Achimota lands

The Osu Stool is set to prevent non-indigenes from being buried at its cemetery, in protest against government’s decision to demolish some structures on the Achimota School lands.

“It is time to tell government enough is enough. We are sending this signal that, if this interference does not stop, we will advise ourselves going forward,” it said. According to the stool, it has won court verdict over the ownership of the land and has the right to exercise the use of the land for various purposes.

Meanwhile, encroachment on the Achimota school lands have come under serious criticism from the public, but occupants of the stool say it is their property and that they are not willing to let it go.

As a result, they have sent strong warning to political parties not to step-foot at Osu and its environs to solicit for votes, otherwise the stool will organize the people to take the law into their own hands, adding “if persuasion fails force must be applied.

From colonial time, they said Osu lands have been used for various national projects, yet the little portions left, their hands were being twisted to be taken away from them, adding “all our lands including the cemetery have been taken away from us. We have to pay before we are buried in our own hometown. Where is this told? Henceforth, we don’t want non-indigenes to be buried here again, we are taking charge.”

The stool made its case known at a press conference over the weekend at the Osu Palace.

According to Nii Kwabena Bone III – Osu Alata Mantse, though their lands had been taken away from them by governments (past & present), nothing has be done to improve upon the livelihood of the people.

“Osu is one community in Ghana that greater portion of its lands had been taken over by government for key national purposes, for example; Accra Sports Stadium, Parliament, State House, Ridge Bungalows, Flagstaff House and Ministries, to mention but few.

“Our woes have come about as a result of these acquisitions with little compensations which were not even paid,” he stated. He said the stool in the 1940s leased the lands for 50 years but government hiding behind Executive Instrument has refused to renew the contract.

Nii Kwabena Bone III, added that government has instead been leasing the lands to private developers without consulting the stool and even royalties needed to be paid to the Osu Traditional Council, had also become a ‘tug of war’. Touching on the encroachments on the Achimota School lands, Osu Alata Mantse accused the school administration of selling the lands to its old students and allies.

“It is an eyesore to see the spread of artisans, fitting shops, containers and squatters, to mention but a few, occupying portions of the school lands. This, we deem it a worrying situation that Achimota should rather concern itself with issues that have legitimate backing,’ he said.

Since the Osu people no longer trust political parties with respect to their lands, he pleaded with his people that: we are equally informing our electorate in the Osu Korle Klottey Constituency not to engage in any political activity henceforth.