Apremdo Chief accuses Regional Lands Officer of illegally selling stool lands

The Chief of Apremdo, a town in the Effia-Kwesimintsim Municipality is accusing the Lands Officer at the Regional Lands Commission in Sekondi, Mr Anthony Sandy Mensah and a former Regent of his, of illegally selling stool lands in the community.

Speaking to Skyy Power 93.5FM, Nana Egya Kwamena XI explained that before the issue of the alleged illegality, a developer by the name Nana Poku purchased a 20-acre land from his former Regent by the name Nana Nware Eziah II, who is a Gyaasehene to the stool.

After the purchase, an Ebusuapanyin for one of the families in Apremdo challenged the capacity under which the Gyasehene (Nana Nware Eziah II) to have leased the said land to Nana Poku in court because the land was their family land and not a stool land.

According to the Apremdo Chief, though the verdict was given in favour of the Apremdo stool, Nana Nware Eziah II took the court documents to Mr Mensah, the Regional Lands Officer, claiming to have won the judgement so they can go ahead to plot the lands without regard to the Chief, the occupant of the Apremdo stool.

However, after the Chief confronted Mr Mensah, he claimed the reply given to him was that, he was not part of any of the parties present at court in relation to the issue so his opinion on the case cannot have any effect. He made it known that he applied for an injunction on the disputed 105-acre land which included Nana Poku’s 20-acre after consultations with his lawyer, which was granted.

The Chief further accused Nana Nware Eziah II and Mr Mensah of going further to sell other stool lands (aside the 105-acres) to people.

“They go to the extent of selling lands of others after they have successfully wiped out their names from the Lands Commission database,” Nana Egya Kwamena revealed.

Nana Nware Eziah II (Gyaasehene)

Countering the accusations by Nana Egya Kwamena XI, Nana Nware Eziah II revealed that, she is rightfully entitled to the Apremdo stool lands and the Ebusuapanyin who sued her in court is not a native of Apremdo but his predecessors were only given the land to weed which does not make him entitled to own the land.

Nana Nware Eziah II made it known after the verdict was ruled in her favour (Apremdo Stool), she was advised to take the judgement to the Regional Lands Commission for approval, she also went further to write a letter to everyone who has purchased a piece of the land.

“I did not use force power to possess the Apremdo Stool lands, it was an order from the court and a case that I legally won,” she said.

The Gyaasehene went further to assert that she does not recognise Nana Egya Kwamena as the chief of Apremdo and no way is he related to the Apremdo Stool.

Mr Anthony Sandy Mensah (Regional Lands Officer)

Mr Anthony, the Regional Lands Officer who was accused of conniving with Nana Nware Eziah II explained that as a lands officer, he cannot take sides in relation to such issues and will only proceed to do what is legally right.

He indicated that he only acted according to the court judgment which was in favour of the Gyaasehene and not in his own powers.

He debunked claims of favouritism on this matter. Mr Mensah however revealed that Nana Egya Kwamena did not support Gyaasehene during the court proceedings but supported the Ebusuapanyin against the Gyaasehene, and he is surprised about the false allegations he is peddling against him.

Also, since the land belongs to the Apremdo Stool, he expected Nana Egya Kwamena XI to be in the camp of Gyaasehene and support her since both of them are for the Apremdo Stool.