The Kpone Paramount Stool has registered its displeasure at some indigenes who are receiving support from some government officials and Lands Commission staff, and are allocating the Stool lands to themselves amid gross disrespect to the traditional heads.
At a press conference addressed by Kpone Paramount Chief, Nii Tetteh Otu II, he noted with great displeasure that some individuals with selfish interest are taking over the Stool lands and calling the bluff of the traditional leaders even though all lands in the Kpone traditional area are Stool lands with recognized divisional chiefs put in place by the Paramount Stool at all the divisional areas who own the land in trust for the people.
He said: “The paramount stool as at now does not have any problem with these chiefs who are equally respected by their people,” noting that
What is happening in the traditional area as regards their land is not just the normal land issues one can easily allude to in the Greater Accra area.
He said: “This is also about our institutions failing us. If institutions are working well, why is the lands commission registering stool lands for these individuals just to be causing troubles in the area?”
Nii Tetteh Otu II also noted that the Paramount Stool is well aware of recent statement put out by the Gbetseli Stool regarding how one Idrisu Mansro who have ascribe himself regent of Appolonia and doing everything possible to shift boundary lines between the two communities to claim lands.
Setting the records straight, Nii Tetteh Otu II averred that there is a recognized and gazetted chief of Appolonia and therefore there cannot be any regent of Appolonia let alone own stool lands of Appolonia and Gbetseli.
“The paramount stool is taking all the necessary steps to correct this anomaly very soon as the two chiefs have good relationship. But while we do that, it is important for the general public to know that Kpone paramountcy lands are stool land and must be respected as such by whoever has a business to do with our lands,” he said.
He however called on those who have already acquired lands from such individuals, to quickly regularize their documents with the Stool through their divisional stools before the paramount stool begin to come after persons with such illegal documents.
He also applauded government for declaring anti land guards activities in the country, but stressing that “we believe there are root cause to these unfortunate institutions that must be tackled head on; the traditional people are left without a choice than to protect their own lands from such crooks being aided by some element within government institutions such the Lands Commission. We are therefore sending a word of caution to such government officials to desist from such behaviors before they are exposed. Stool lands cannot be registered by selfish individuals.”
He also called on various industries operating on their lands to take into consideration all necessary environmental safety measures in order to make their environment and the people safe.
According to him, the Stool will be following up on these industries closely, maintaining that “It is the wish of the stool that everyone living within our catchment area will live in peace to go about their businesses without fear or intimidation. We therefore charge all persons to be law abiding.”
Kpone paramount stool covers Gbetseli, Kpoiete, Sacki, Sebrepor, Appolonia, Kpone bawaleshie and Saduase forming one of the greatest paramount stool in the Greater Accra traditional area and highly revered as such.
Their contribution to national development, especially in areas such as industrialization and agriculture which are keys to the nation’s growth is unquestionable as they have dedicated vast lands for such purposes.