Gomoa East bans landguards, digging fees
The Gomoa East District Assembly (GEDA) has banned the activities of landguards in the district with immediate effect, and scrapped, “digging fees”, a charge imposed on developers.
“Digging fees shall now be incorporated into the payments for the land, and shall be paid only once to the Land Owner/ Guarantor/ Lessor or their assigns at home during the handover of site plan and indentures,” the Gomoa East District Chief Executive, Solomon Darko-Quarm, said at a press conference held last Monday.
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He stated that “On no account shall anyone demand “digging fees” on the field or at construction sites in any part of the district.
“There shall be no landguard activities in any area falling within the political and administrative jurisdiction of the Gomoa East District Assembly, established under L. I. 2340 (2017) by the President with the prior approval of the Parliament of Ghana.”
Mr Darko-Quarm explained that the Parliament of Ghana passed the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act 999 (2019) to prohibit the act or threat of violence or intimidation by a person or group of persons to further the interest of a landlord or owner or purchaser of landed property or a real estate developer.
Existence
“Over the four-year existence of the GEDA, it has received a myriad of complaints from inhabitants and the general public about the activities of landguards in the district, contrary to the provisions in the law referred hereto.
“I am happy to inform you and the general public that from today, Monday, September 19, 2022, the district security council (DISEC) of the GEDA, in collaboration with the chiefs and elders of the district, have with immediate effect, banned all landguard activities and “digging fees” within the district,” he stressed.
The decision, Mr Darko-Quarm said, was reached at a crucial meeting held last Thursday, between DISEC and the chiefs, elders and opinion leaders in the district, especially, those in areas noted for those unfortunate practices such as Dampaase (Langma); Nyanyano/ Nyanyano Kakraba; Kojoku; Fetteh & Fetteh Kakraba; Millennium City; Budumburam; Apra; Nkwantanan, among others.
Peace
“This decision is to bring lasting peace and security to residents and developers relocating to the rapidly growing district. It is also intended to attract many more investors to the district which is already blessed with seven 1D1Fs, to create more jobs for the youth of the area,” he said.
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He added that “DISEC of Gomoa East with the support and concurrence of the chiefs and elders is intensifying monitoring to ensure strict compliance, and would deal ruthlessly with any person or group of persons who engage in any act that seeks to flout, undermine or disregard this directive in the areas aforementioned.”
Mr Darko-Quarm said “The Gomoa East District Assembly in collaboration with all the security services in the district, would henceforth, wish to know of all construction works and activities being undertaken in all parts of the district, for surveillance purposes, to ward off any miscreants.
“In furtherance of the above, all such developers are advised to contact the district assembly for relevant permits and provide adequate information on the intended projects, before commencing.”
That, he said, was necessary for the ease of monitoring and surveillance, and that “Anyone who flouts this would be availing themselves to landguard disturbances, and would be charged for promoting landguardism in the district. Such individuals would be penalised severely by the assembly and DISEC when caught.
“All are informed that the office of the IGP, the Ministry of the Interior, the Local Government Ministry, the Central Regional Coordinating Council, all palaces, churches and mosques in the district are accordingly informed of this decision. All and sundry must take note and comply accordingly,” he said.