A group calling itself Aggrieved Kpone Indigenes have expressed their displeasure over the indiscriminate sales of the Kpone cemetery lands.
According to the group, a large portion of the cemetery lands have been sold to industries over a period of five years.
They described the situation as worrying because they fear they might not have anywhere to bury the dead in future as the incessant sales continue unabated.
They have thus threatened to hit the street if authorities fail to desist from any further sales and immediate steps taken to reverse some of the earlier sales.
The Kpone Cemetery which is situated few meters from the main Kpone township, according to the indigenes measures about 39 acres but has now been reduced to about 10-meter square.
They complained that the cemetery lands are being sold without explanation and recourse to the town folks; a situation they find quite worrying.
They complained that, not only has the indigenous cemetery been sold to developers, but the portion that traditional leaders are buried has equally been given out.
It will be recalled that the youth of Kpone in 2015 embarked on a demonstration to express their anger over the sales of the cemetery lands; the youth during the demonstration pulled down fence walls that were being constructed at the time while some of them also sustained injury from stray bullet fired by the police to disperse the crowd.
However, barely five years on, the youth are back with similar concerns.
They averred that, they will not relent until they find answers and solutions to the sales of the cemetery lands.
Abraham Quashie, one of the leaders of the aggrieved Kpone indigenes said they are disappointed over the happenings at the cemetery as it was against tradition to sell cemetery lands.
“We are surprised this could be happening in this 21st century where no less a land than cemetery land would be sold. We shall rise and ensure this high level of greed being perpetuated by some privileged few in high position is stopped. We are so Aggrieved and unhappy and very soon, they will hear from us in a mass protest,” he noted.
A visit to the cemetery saw several structures including the Sentua Ceramic company limited being built there and a number of fence walls being constructed.
Some family members who had come to bury their loved ones were also unhappy about the subtle attempt to convert the cemetery into an industrial hub.
Numo Tetteh Amankwah, an indigene said, “this is so shameful and the youth are not happy and they have resolved to rise to seek for answers.”
The Aggrieved Kpone indigenes also alleged that, even the portion of the cemetery meant to bury their traditional leaders has also been sold out.
They questioned where they will bury their traditional leaders in future when they are no more.
The PRO of the Concern Youth of Kpone, Emmanuel Nortey also lamented about the current status of the cemetery.
He said, they will not relent on fighting for their rights.
“It is not clear who are those involved in the sales of the cemetery lands to the developers but we the Kpone youth will not sit and continue to watch these unfortunate sales continue. We shall rise and fight till the anomaly is reversed,” he said.
The Manklalo for the Kpone Traditional council, Nii Ofosu Obli however promised that the traditional council will sit and come out with some modalities to get the issues addressed with the aggrieved indigenes.
He noted that portions of the cemetery lands were indeed given out by the Traditional Council but was quick to add that the section being occupied by the Sentuo Ceramic has nothing to do with the Traditional Council.
