Hired Armed Military Demolished Properties At Otinibi

Officers of the Military Support Services of the Ghana Armed Forces are being used by some individuals to wreak havoc and terrorize residents at Otinibi Hills, a community in the La Nkwantang Madina Municipality in the Greater Accra Region.

The officers have virtually turned into land guards, aiding the demolishing of peoples’ properties in the area.

The situation has rendered several residents homeless as their homes have been demolished by these officers.

A visit to the area soon after the demolition revealed that the affected residents have been left to the mercies of the weather, whilst majority of them were relocating, others who did not have the means to move have their properties washed away by the heavy rains.

The armed soldiers are believed to be protecting lands at Otinibi in the interest of one Daniel Kojo Gyampa Markin.

According to the affected residents, they suffer threats, harassment and sometimes beatings from the armed soldiers who are said to be protecting a parcel of land they claim belongs to one Mr Daniel Kojo Gyampa Markin on daily basis until the demolishing exercise which has now rendered them homeless.

It has also emerged that these soldiers, wielding guns, after the demolishing protect masons and other construction workers who are constructing a fence wall round the land for the Daniel Markin.

Information gathered is that the residents acquired the  land from the lawful representatives of Adjei Kweidza Mansah and Okantsuru Dzan families as far back as 2009 and have conducted searches at the Lands Commission at various times and the search proved that the lands were in the name of the two families, Okantsuru and Adjei Kweidza.

In view of the outcome of the searches, land owners developed the land until Daniel Markin emerged on claims over the land and using the Military to do the job for him.

Meanwhile, this paper has gathered from reliable sources that the presence of the military officers on the land was made possible by a high profile personality who is serving on Daniel Markin’s company (Markin Hills Ltd) Board.

What is interesting is that neither Daniel Markin nor his assigns nor agents had produced any demolition order by any court against any of the properties in the community, yet with the help of the Military was able to clear lawful owners from their properties.

The affected residents are calling on government and the necessary authorities to intervene.