Okyehene Osagyfo Amoatia Ofori Panin’s Akwansrahehe, Baffour Asiedu Bekeo, who has been accused of grabbing and destroying farmlands in Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region has responded to accusations levelled against him by some natives of Ayensuano District.
In a telephone interview with the Akwansrahehe on July 31 at about 5:31 pm, he stated that all the lands in Ayensuano District were for Okyeman which means they are stool lands and not individual lands, and therefore the Okyehene owns them.
He added that the Okyehene has given him the mandate to protect all lands belonging to the stool and that embarked on an exercise to grade the lands of those who could not provide documents on their lands or failed to regularise it at Okyehene’s land Secretariat.
The exercise, according to him, has eventually resulted in the destruction of crops and farmlands in the Ayensoano and other parts of Okyeman.
According to him, the Okyehene is aware of his operations as the head of taskforce because he the Akwansrahehe reports to Okyehene periodically.
He said all the Chiefs in Ayensoano District were caretakers of the lands for the Okyehene and therefore when a land is needed for the construction of a factory, the investor would be taken to the Chief of Amanase where the process of acquiring the land begins.
He explained further that whenever a land is sold for developmental purposes the money is divided into three parts with Ofori Paninfie taking one part for documentation whiles the Chief of that community takes the remaining two parts adding that Okyeman lands are not freehold but lease.
The Akwansrahehe Baffour Asiedu Bekeo explained that he and his taskforce have graded several lands in Ayensoano including Amanase.
When questioned further, the Akwansrahehe got furious and stated that whatever they are doing in Ayensuano District is legal therefore they are ready to respond to any publication that comes out in the media.
In a follow up at the Amanase Palace which falls within the Ayensuano District to ascertain whether or not the Chief has received any money or been consulted before the grading took place by the Akwansrahehe and his taskforce ìt was discovered that the Chief and elders of Amanase where not consulted.
Neither have they received any money from the Akwansrahehe before embarking on the said grading and destruction of farmlands.
In a telephone interview with the queenmother of Amanase, Ohemaa Ansa Ayaw, she revealed that the Okyehene had over the years outlined procedures and due process of acquiring a land in Ayensuano and other districts which she believes the Akwansrahehe has failed to follow.
According to her, the Chief and elders are in the process of meeting the elders of Abuakwa to discuss the matter.
In a related development, natives within the Ayensoano District have called for full scale investigations into the source of funds of Okyehene’s Akwansrahene and one Nana Baah (Haruna) who is said to be the Akwansrahene of Apapam.
The natives who spoke on condition of anonymity questioned why the chiefs and people will be complaining if due processes were followed and called for further investigations into the matter to save the reputation of Okyehene adding that the two are using Okyehene’s name to enrich themselves.