Diasporan investor pleads for justice after farm attack

Jamaican-American investor, Nigel Jordan, has lost his investment worth over GH¢1 million after an arson attack on his 50-acre coconut farm at Gomoa Oguakrom, near Agona Swedru, in the Central Region. 

The farm, which had about 4,000 coconut trees, was set ablaze on January 14, 2025, following a dispute over the land.

The Country Representative and Manager of Nigel Jordan Farms and Tour Ltd, Evans Ocran, who briefed the media on the incident, said the land was sold to the investor by the Chief of Gomoa Oguakrom, Nana Oguadompo XI, and his assigns at a cost of GH¢400,000.

Mr Ocran explained that the investor paid GH¢384,000 out of the agreed amount and an indenture ( a deed of conveyance) signed by Nana Oguadompo and witnessed by the Ebusuapanyin (Head of family), Kweku Akyin, also known as Solo, was given to them.

However, he said in the process of registering the land, their legal counsel discovered that the seller did not possess the legal right to sell the land, as it was owned by the government and was, therefore, non-registrable for private ownership.

“We were told that the land was a state land that had been vested in the government, and therefore, it could not be registered,” Mr Ocran said.

Threats

He said after they started asserting their rightful claim, the seller resorted to threats and intimidation with an attempt to force them off the land.

The situation, he said, escalated to violence, including arson, resulting in the destruction of the coconut farm.

Mr Ocran said on that fateful day when the farm was set ablaze, the secretary to the chief, Kwame Abdulai, also known as Abu and one Tachi aka Tico, allegedly threatened them, warning them not to work on the land, saying they should 'wait and see.'

"It was on the evening of the same day, January 14, 2025, that some of the workers on the farm called to inform us that the farm had been set on fire and all the coconut trees planted have been destroyed," he said.

Mr Ocran said it also came to their notice that portions of the land sold to them had also been given to some sand winners.

He said a comprehensive report from the Agricultural Department of Nigel Jordan Farms and Tour Ltd confirmed the total loss incurred to be over GH¢700,000 after paying GH¢384,000 upfront for the purchase of the land.

Petition to CID

Mr Ocran said they initially reported the incident to the Agona Swedru Divisional Police headquarters, but had to transfer the case to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) headquarters in Accra due to lack of action.

He added that the company was awaiting a response to a petition to the Director-General of the CID for investigation and intervention.

"We have petitioned the Director-General of CID to intervene and ensure justice is served. We are yet to receive a response," Mr Ocran said.

Mr Ocran expressed concern that the arson, and the subsequent lack of action from the police might discourage potential investors.

"If this matter is not addressed, it may discourage many who have the intention to invest in Ghana," he said.

He said their plight had raised questions about the security of investments in the country and, therefore, called for swift action from law enforcement agencies to protect investors.

Checks at the CID headquarters indicated that the petition from the investors had been received.

Oguakrom

When reached, the secretary to the Oguakrom Royal Family, Mr Abdulai, confirmed that the land which was 448 acres was leased to the investor for 50 years at the cost of GH¢2.2 million and the agreement was that the investor in the first year was to pay GH¢400,000, but he paid GH¢384,000.

He said the family used between GH¢80,000 and GH¢90,000 to reclaim portions of the land where sand winning had taken place, and before the investor started working on the land some portions had already been given to some sand winners.

Asked whether he knew the land was vested in the government, he affirmed it and gave an explanation that vested lands could be leased by the family for a period with lessee (investor) paying an amount to the family and the Lands Commission.

On the arson, Mr Abdulai denied that the family carried out such a dastardly act.

He said 30 acres out of the 50-acre coconut farm was destroyed by fire during the dry season in December last year, and that the remaining 20 acres got burnt in January, this year.

He confirmed that there was a confrontation between Tico and the investor during an inspection of lands in the area.

Mr Abdulai added that the fact that some members of the Royal Family visited the land the same day the farm got burnt did not mean they set the farm ablaze.

Lands Commission

Checks at the Lands Commission indicated that vested lands are for the state and it cannot be leased or sold to individuals unless they are divested and given back to the original owners.

However, the secretary to the Oguakrom Royal Family claimed that all the vested lands in the Gomoa Central District, including the land sold to the investor, were part of lands the government divested and they had the right to lease or sell them.

Mr Abdulai further claimed that the government owed the royal families in Gomoa Central District huge sums of royalties over the divested lands and that was why the government was unable to make it public that the Gomoa Central District lands had been divested and that the government was paying the royalties owed in bits.