The Asante United Front (AUF) has reiterated its call on the government to consider reverting all Kumasi Part One Lands and looted property to the rightful owners.
The movement has stated that it would persist in its promptings on the government until all such lands were returned to the owner. The appeal by the movement’s chairman, Opanin Kwame Afreh follows his conviction that various agreement documents covering all foreign owned properties on the said Part One Lands have long expired.
“By law, all such property must be reverted to the land owners as stipulated in the agreement documents on the said property” it was stated. The AUF also said a study conducted by its local and internal resource persons has confirmed that parent agents of these properties especially those in the Great Britain are aware that the authority on the property no longer exists because the valid period of their ownership has expired.
The movement’s concern follows the realization that representatives of parent agents back in Ghana are collaborating with some NPP elements to pressurize the government to extend their period of ownership to enable them dispose off these properties to prospective developers to the disadvantage of the land owners and described the situation as nothing but an intent to perpetuate the authority of the colonial lords.
Afreh mentioned local agents of Unilver and questioned if Unilver wanted to constitute itself into another anti-Ashanti group and ensure that the Asanteman does not have the chance to benefit fully from what by law is its rightful inheritance. In the light of these, AUF has urged the government to expedite action on the Part One lands issue to avoid exploitation of resources at the expense of development and stop the neo-colonialist agents from interrupting the march to progress.
Afreh cautioned that Unilever could not be given any preferential treatment by way of grant of extension of ownership of property when G.B. Ollivant and P.Z. had taken their exit after the expiration of the authority of ownership of their properties.
The group has also appealed to the Asantehene and the Asanteman Council to ensure that all such properties remain their lawful property and assured that the AUF would make available authentic documents on the said properties on request.
The AUF has also drawn the attention of the Asanteman Council to the deplorable situation in which the City Hotel and the Shoe and Jute factories find themselves in and urged the Asantehene to stay focused and not hesitate to source funding from the international monetary institutions to champion his vision of development.
In another development, GNA reports that the London Small Business Growth Initiative Limited (LSBGI), a company in the United Kingdom in collaboration with the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) is to organise a trade and exhibition fair dubbed, “Destination Kumasi 2005” in October next year.
The fair is to provide a platform for small and medium scale businesses in the Kumasi metropolis to interact with their counterparts from the UK, Jamaica and other Caribbean countries to promote business. Miss Claire Jackson, the Director of Trade and Corporate Affairs of LSBGI, said this when she paid separate courtesy calls on the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo and the KMA Chief Executive, Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah, on Tuesday.
Miss Jackson said her company supports the establishment of Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SMEs), provide them with information on trade accessibility and build their capacities to ensure their growth and development. Miss Jackson, a Jamaican, said her company is trying to establish linkages with companies in Africa to promote trade and investment.
“The time has come for Africa and the Caribbean countries to establish closer linkages and relationships to promote trade, especially in textiles, jewellery and artefacts,” he said.
Mr. Boafo said the SMEs are the backbone of the nation’s economy and there was the need to give them the necessary support to ensure their growth and development.
He commended the KMA for the initiative and urged other district assemblies to find innovative ways of promoting businesses among the people.
Mr Jumah said there was the need to establish closer relationships with cities in the Caribbean to tap their rich experiences in tourism and other industries.
