By Alex Boye
Elders of the Odai Now Family of Old Ashongman in the Ga East Municipality of the Greater Accra Region, have disclosed that the town has no chief as claimed by some detractors.
According to the family all land documents bearing a name of a Chief of Old Ashongman are fraudulent and should be disregard.
They have therefore warned the general public to stop dealing with any person who arrogates himself as chief of the town.
Speaking at a news conference in Accra on Tuesday, Head of the Odai Ntow Family, Nii Ayerfio II, warned that any member of the public who deals with any person describing himself as chief of Old Ashongman does so at his or her own risk.
He therefore threatened to cite the Land Commission for contempt for wrongs doing against their Family with regards to boundary demarcation.
The Family alleges that the Lands Commission have connived with members of the Apenteng Family to illegally encroach their lands.
The family alleged that they were not informed about a court documents presented to the Lands Commission by the members of the Apenteng Family of Accra before a boundary demarcation exercise was conducted last week.
He revealed that documents presented by the Apenteng family to the Land Commission for the boundary demarcation had been quashed by the Supreme Court, adding that the ruling, dated May 24, 2023, was titled “The Republic versus the High Court ex-parte MC Similar Company Limited and two others” and was presided over by Lovelace-Johnson JSC, Amadu Kulendi, Ackah-Yensu, and Koomson JJSC.
The Head of the Odai Ntow Family challenged the Land Commission to produce documents that was presented to them by the other parties in the suit. He raised concerns about the transparency and integrity of the boundary demarcation exercise, insinuating that it may have been influenced by bribery. The Family Head expressed distress over the fact that they were not informed about the demarcation process, and alleged that individuals they believed were from the commission conducted the exercise without their knowledge or consent.
He also asserted that the boundary demarcation has emboldened members of the Nii Ngleshi family to lay claim to Ashongman lands. According to him the Nii Ngleshi family, who had been defeated in court on several occasions, are now relying on a ruling of the High Court that had
been quashed by the Supreme Court to make claims to lands that were bought by the Presbyterian Church over two hundred years ago.
The family, he disclosed is determined to take legal action against the Land Commission and the Survey and Mapping Division if their concerns are not addressed and if they find any contemptuous actions in the boundary demarcation process.
