Correspondence from Eastern Region

The Konor of Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region has reiterated age-old calls to return stool lands to the people of Manya Krobo.

Nene Sakite II, who doubles as President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs and the Manya Krobo Traditional Council, speaking during the 25th-anniversary celebration of his ascension to the throne, told Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, who was a special guest of honour during the event that several appeals by him and his predecessor, Oklemekuku, Nene Azzu Mate Kole II for the return of the lands have proven futile.

Nene Konor demanded the return of the stool lands after attempts over the past fifty-four years to have them returned by successive governments have fallen on deaf ears despite lands being returned to other paramountcies.

"The people of Manya Krobo have repeatedly written to successive governments since 1969, from the time of the Busia administration till today as I speak, to return our stool lands and government vested lands back to us.

"It may surprise you to know that after 54 years, no action has been taken on our request. I've personally sent three reminders to President Akufo-Addo. I have observed that government has returned the lands to others but us. Our people keep asking, why? We want our lands returned to us as soon as possible. It's been too long, and we have been spending our limited resources to fight encroachers even with the government-vested land that I watch over," said the chief.

Throwing more light on the Nene Sakite's appeal, Mr. Bah Sackitey, a member of the royal family, told GhanaWeb in an interview that following the new land reform ACT, which aims to return all lands compulsorily acquired by governments before 1992 to their rightful owners, the Manya Krobo Traditional Council also formally made its request to the president and his government in 2021 after which officials of the lands commission came down to inspect the affected lands.

Unfortunately, not much has been done ever since despite persistent follow-ups by the paramount chief.

According to Mr. Sackitey, the iconic Krobo mountains and their surrounding lands were forcefully acquired from the Krobo people by the colonial government led by Governor Brandford Griffith in the late 1800s.

"The lands are in two folds, the colonial government acquired the Kloyom (the Krobo Mountains) and its surroundings, we (Krobos) were forced down the mountains in 1892, and the government took over the mountains," disclosed Mr. Sackitey.

He furthered that the lands currently holding the Kpong Hydroelectric Dam were also compulsorily acquired by the government.

The affected occupants, most of whom were non-Krobos, he added, were relocated elsewhere but were given parts of the stool lands for farming purposes with the strict caution not to sell, sub-let or farm perennial crops on the lands.

Contrary to this directive, however, he said they engaged in the wanton sale of parcels of the lands to others. He said, "Those who were resettled began selling the lands and thereafter left for their places of origin, and that's of concern to the paramountcy. They sold so many acres of land."

The situation, he said, continues to deprive the Manya Krobo Traditional Council of its lands for various uses as well as ordinary Krobos who may need the lands due to population explosion.

According to him, several attempts to access the lands have been met with strong resistance by the settlers.

Vice President Bawumia’s response

Meanwhile, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia speaking as guest of honour at the ceremony, assured Nene Sakite and the people of Manya Krobo that their appeal would be given due attention for a swift return of the lands.

"I've heard your plea on the return of the stool lands, and I'll engage the minister for lands and natural resources. I think that we really have no problem as a government in returning these lands, and I'll encourage him to engage you and the traditional council to facilitate the return of the lands as we're doing in other areas," the Veep assured.

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