Clan Heads and Asafoatsemei (War Lords) of the Nungua Traditional Area said they have been dejected and discomfited by the lack of transparency and accountability by some elements in the community who carries themselves as leaders in the administration of the Borteyman lands and it’s adjoined.
According to them, since the release by the Government of Ghana, hundreds of acres of the Borteyman and its adjoined lands have been rented and sold out over the years in a manner that calls for a “snake-pit inquisition and accountability without which, the under-pressure youth and citizens of Nungua would not forgive us.”
In a statement signed by Nii Alarbi Dzenge VI, Nungua Mankralo, they averred that on August 12, 2010, the Government of Ghana allegedly granted a lease agreement to some persons purported to represent the Nungua Stool of Nungua in the Greater Accra Region.
These representatives they indicated are “Justice Laryeafio Akatoi, carrying himself as King Odaifio Welentsi and Numo Borketey Larweh Tsuru-on the other part.”
They said, the land, by Certificate of Title, dated March 7, 1940, was divided into two parts: the northern part of the land containing an area of 945.827 acres, was allocated to the University of Gold Coast (now University of Ghana) for the purpose of animal husbandry – and the southern part of the land containing an area of 1,624.22 acres allocated to the Directorate of Veterinary Services for the purpose of animal husbandry.
According to them as a goodwill gesture and consonance with Government’s policy objectives of returning part state lands vested in the Government that are in the excess of actual need to those who were pre-acquisition owners – and to engender trust and cooperation between the government and land-owning groups as well as to promote optimal use of the land, the Government of the Republic of Ghana, acting by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, entered into agreement with such purported representatives, on September 15, 2008, for the return to the Nungua Stool of all that piece of parcel of land containing an area of 974.53 acres more or less compromising 60 per cent of the land situate within the southern part of the land and excluding all portions with state assets and infrastructure, and leases already granted by the state.
Addressing condition for release of the said land, they noted that the alleged Nungua Representatives were asked to be established to assist
the Nungua Stool in the management of the returned lands, hence the formation of the Nungua Development Trust (called The Trust) subject to its regulations, dated March 9, 2009, and allegedly made by the Nungua Stool purportedly represented by the said Justice Laryeafio Akatoi, King Odaifio Welentsi III, “carrying himself as Nungua Mantse, Numo Borketey Larweh Tsuru, Gborbu Wulomo, Nii Sam Borlabi Prempeh, carrying himself as Nungua Mankralo, and Nii Owuobah Adotey, Akwashontse (collectively called ‘Settlors’).
They however pointed out that the alleged Representatives of Nungua Stool and the Trust are yet to account for their stewardship after all these years.
“The multi-million-dollar questions are: Are the citizens of Nungua really benefitting from these royalties, rents and sale of lands? Your guess is as good as mine. One of the objectives for which the Trust was formed, was to establish or set up a Nungua Development and Educational Fund. Has done been done? If yes, how is the Fund being disbursed and what criteria are being employed for its disbursement?”
They said the youth and citizens of Nungua are not the least enthused with the lack of probity, transparency and accountability in the disbursal and expenditure of their resources – the repercussions of which could be calamitous, if nothing is done about the unfortunate situation now.
They are urging the alleged Representatives of Nungua Stool and the Trust to come out and render account for their stewardship so far, before they are taken over by events.
