Farmers protest forceful takeover of farm lands by Ejisumanhene
Farmers from five cocoa growing communities within the Ejisu-Juaben municipality of Ashanti have petitioned the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Simon Osei Mensah over what they termed as a forcible takeover of their farm lands by the Ejisumanhene, Nana Oguakuro Afrane Okesse IV.
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The farmers who went on a demonstration to protest against the action of the chief before addressing the press, accused Nana Okesse of undermining the effort of the government in improving agricultural production in the country.
They claimed that if the chief was allowed to go ahead with his plans, the country’s aim to produce one million metric tons of cocoa would be greatly affected as large tracts of cocoa farms would be destroyed in the process.
Allegation
The farmers alleged that the chief has sold the land to some private developers and given part to the Ghana Free Zones Board and these people were driving them out of the land to take possession.
They claimed that Nana Okesse has caused pillars to be erected on the lands to claim ownership and sent message through his sub-chiefs to inform the farmers to vacate the land.
Rights
Clad in red attire with some of them holding placards, the farmers, majority of who are women, on Thursday, vowed to resist any attempt to deprive them of their livelihood through the takeover of their farmlands by the Omanhene of Ejisu.
Whilst acknowledging the Omanhene as the overlord of the area, they were of the view that if anything at all, the chief should have given them prior information about the takeover of the land and not wait for them to cultivate their investments on the farmlands before asking them to vacate the lands.
The spokesman of the affected farmers, Mr Kofi Appiah, said the farmers have invested in cocoa and cashew productions and would not “sit down for the chief to clear these lands. This is what is keeping us alive”, he vowed.
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He said if the chief did not heed to the call of the farmers to desist from the forcible takeover of their farmlands, “we are also going to stand up. We sit down for them to cheat us [sic]. We are talking about our sources of livelihood. [sic] Our children are there, and must go to school.
“We won’t sit down for the farmlands to be cleared,” he said, adding, “we do not want Nyinahin to happen here but if they force us, [sic] we rise up and defend our rights and what will sustain us.”
Affected committees
The affected communities are Abenase, Ampabame, Asampong, Edwinase and Onwe all in the Ejisu-Juaben Municipality and the close to 5,000 acres of land where the affected farmers cultivate cash crops such as cocoa, cashew and teak.
The farmers have therefore petitioned the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Regional Minister and the regional security service commanders to intervene and have the matter resolved before it escalates.
Ejisumanhene
The Ejisu Traditional Council, however, refuted the claims by the farmers that the Omanhene was forcibly taking over their lands.
According to the Omanhene’s linguist, Okyeame Nana Kwadwo Ampofoh, the said land belonged to the Ghana Free Zones Board and the affected farmers have been compensated since 2015.
According to him, the farmers have no right to lay claim to those lands again.