The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) have been accused of encroaching lands belonging to some traditional leaders in Tamale and allegedly selling them to members of the public.
The affected includes Jisonayili, Zagyuri, Gurugu, Dungu and Katariga all in the Sagnarigu municipality of the northern region.
“It has come to the notice of the Chiefs of these communities that the Ghana Armed Forces has unlawfully entered onto parts of their skin lands in Jisonayili, Zagyuri, Gurugu, Dungu and Katariga in Tamale and demarcated plots of land which the military is selling to members of the public through the Lands Commission in Tamale. The military has destroyed farms, trees and properties of people” a statement issued by the Chiefs through their lawyers has alleged.
Lawyer Issah Mahamudu representing Bomahi Naa Abubakari Mahamadu, Chief of Jisonayili, Zagyuri Naa Naporo Abu, Gurugu Naa Issahaka Nasagri, Dungu Naa Abubakari Mahama and Katariga Tindanpaga Memunatu Issah said the Ghana Armed Forces has served with a notice of lawsuit if they fail to stop the unlawful demarcation and sale of the land.
“We have received their response which is highly disappointing to say the least. We are proceeding to court” he said.
The traditional leaders have however advised members of the general public that the Ghana Armed Forces has no authority to demarcate, allocate and sell land in the affected communities to any person.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, we wish to that the Ghana Armed Forces has no land in these communities which it can lawfully sell, give or allocate to any person or group. The Ghana Armed Forces is not an Estate or Housing Agency which can acquire skin lands from our Chiefs for building residential houses for sale to the general public” the statement emphasized.
The Chiefs further stressed any person who accept or buy land in these communities from the Ghana Armed Forces through the Lands Commission will be doing so at their own risk.
“We are advising persons who have already bought land in these communities from the military to return the allocation letters to them and demand refund of their monies from them.”
Meanwhile, the Chiefs have also admonished other traditional leaders in Dagbon not to accept any form of offer of plots of land within the affected communities from the military, stating “the military cannot usurp our lands and then turn around to entice prominent Chiefs and citizens with offers or gifts of such lands to solicit their support and cooperation to cheat the land owners.
