Paramount Chief of the Osu Traditional Area Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI says the Nigerian High Commission has trespassed on a plot of land belonging to the Osu Stool.
He stressed in a press release issued on Sunday that the said parcel of land and the entire Osu Mantse layout is not state land but is a part of its land.
Nii Kinka Dowuona VI stated that “it is only the Stool that has the mandate to grant lease be it expired or otherwise.”
Armed men have stormed the Nigerian High Commissioner’ residence in Accra, with bulldozers demolishing a block of uncompleted apartments on the property on Friday night.
The building was being constructed to house staff and visiting diplomats to the High Commission.
According to the head of security at the High Commission, Emmanuel Kabutey, the leader of the team that came to demolish the building told them they had the backing of National Security and that “if any of us try, he will clear us off.”
Geoffrey Onyeama✔@GeoffreyOnyeama
We strongly condemn two outrageous criminal attacks in Accra, #Ghana, on a residential building in our diplomatic premises by unknown persons in which a bulldozer was used to demolish the building.
Geoffrey Onyeama✔@GeoffreyOnyeama
We are engaging the Ghanaian Government and demand urgent action to find the perpetrators and provide adequate protection for Nigerians and their property in Ghana. #StayHomeSaveLives #COVID19 @NigeriaGov @DigiCommsNG @GhanaMFA
Nigeria’s Foreign Affairs Minister, Geoffrey Onyeama has condemned the incident describing it as a “criminal attacks.”
Mr Onyeama added that his office is engaging the Ghana government and “demand urgent action to find the perpetrators and provide adequate protection for Nigerians and their property in Ghana.”
Meanwhile, Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Ministry in denouncing the attack described it as a development “which is a breach of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations (VCDR, 19610).”
The Ministry said investigations are ongoing to unravel the fact of the matter and bring the perpetrators to book, a statement copied to JoyNews said.
But the Paramount Chief of the Osu Traditional Area explained that the parcel of land approximately 1.14 acres more or less being GLPIN GA48906150010 Block 1 Section 019 situate at West Ridge is separate from that which is currently being occupied by the Nigerian High Commission.
“It came to the attention of the Osu Stool that the original building on the parcel of land was demolished and, in its place, a new structure was being erected.
“Osu Stool was informed that the structure was being erected by a Nigerian business person with the aid of the Nigerian High Commission and was forcibly trying to take over the said parcel of land,” he explained.
According to him, they have been also informed that the structure is planned entertainment complex to be used as an events centre for commercial purposes and is not a block of flats as has been purported in the reportage.
Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI said, “The Stool has a high level of respect for foreign missions and has therefore on several occasions verbally informed the unidentified trespasser of the ownership status of the land through the security personnel resident on the parcel of land.”
According to him, they have sent messages inviting the trespasser for a discussion on the ownership of the land but the “trespasser has openly and with impunity disrespected the paramount Chief of the Osu Traditional Area, Stool Lands Authority and the Traditional Council of Elders by its attendant behaviour.
“Authorities including officials from the Lands Commission, the Cantonments Police and Police Headquarters have invited the trespassers to produce documentation for the parcel of land.”
He reiterated that the land is a stool land which does not belong to the state as such “it is only the Stool that has the mandate to grant leases be it expired or otherwise.
“Forceful acquisition of these lands by trespassers who hide behind foreign offices and political influence should desist from doing so.”
Source: myjoyonline.
