A sub-chief or chief has recently been enstooled in one of the suburbs of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, probably at Ampabame. He has a vast site under ongoing development at Abrepo-Asubonteng under his jurisdiction.

No sooner had he been enthroned than some people claiming to be acting in his behalf started going to the areas at Abrepo-Asobonteng where new buildings are under construction. When they go to any such places, they will ask the owner, and in his absence, the construction workers, to see the valid papers of ownership of the plot on which the building is being built.

At some occasions, they have forcibly removed or confiscated the tools of the workers and allegedly taken them to the chief’s palace. This happens if they order the workers, or the owner, to discontinue with any work on the building until he/she has produced his/her document of entitlement of ownership to the land or plot for verification.

This is the ongoing situation at the moment. I understand they are telling the owners that there is a new chief so they had better go to see him, pay homage to him and show him their valid papers covering the plots on which they are building their houses.

Has the new chief indeed authorised some people to go to that area in his name to do as reported above, or it is just some criminal opportunists going behind the back of the chief to do exactly what they are reported to be doing?

From my inquires, every chief has a big note book at his palace in which the names of the owners of plots sold by the palace are recorded inside with their necessary details.

Has the chief of Ampabame got one along with the site plan of the area indicating how and to whom the plots have been allocated to? If answered in the affirmative, can’t he pinpoint to his assumed taskforce which plots they are to visit rather than them going to every plot under construction to harass the owner and workers as said above?

Will the chief go on air to announce to the residents of the mentioned area that he wants to see their documents of entitlement to the plots they have their houses, or are building their houses? On the other hand, can’t he direct his taskforce to deliver letters to them inviting them to come over to his palace to greet him, coming along with their valid papers to prove that they acquired the plots genuinely?

At this point, and until the chief does as suggested, one cannot tell if those people currently visiting the site terrorising the owners of the under-construction houses and their workers are merely criminals or land guards trying to dupe them without the knowledge of the chief.

I will end here to wait for the response from the chief and the views of the legal luminaries before making known my candid opinion about the issue.

Whoever comes across this publication and happens to know the chief should please bring it to his attention for me. Again, forward it to your friends and family members to create awareness of how some chiefs or criminals continue to exploit some innocent people in Ghana.