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The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo, has called on chiefs in Amasaman to release land for public projects as a way of supporting the government. 

According to him, since land in the community belonged to chiefs and families, they were in a better position to give them out for development projects.   

At a mini-durbar with the chiefs of Amasaman last Wednesday, Mr Afotey-Agbo encouraged them to mark out plots of land in support of government development projects.

He said the rate at which family heads and chiefs engaged in land disputes was on the ascendancy and that if it continued, there would not be any lands left for development. 

The Regional Minister said it was not right for chiefs to demand money from contractors before giving out land for building.  

“Chiefs have a role to play in the development of their communities and so they must release land for government and other development partners,” he said. 

Use of land guards
He advised the chiefs to desist from using land guards for either sand winning or as property protectors. He said they should also avoid multiple sale of land. He said when they did that it created insecurity and undermined peace in the community. 

He said the government did not decide who was a rightful chief or not and who legally owned land. But, he said, the government would not sit unconcerned while disputes threatened to destroy the chieftaincy institution in the country. 

“As a regional minister, I have it within my authority to ensure that peace and security in the region is maintained,” he said. 

Land challenges
The Municipal Chief Executive of the Ga-West Municipal Assembly, Mr Sam Atukwei-Quaye, said acquiring land for development projects in the area had become a big challenge.  

He, therefore, reiterated the minister’s request for them to release land for the execution of projects in the community.  

The Chief of Amasaman, Nii Amasa Osieku II, said he would see to it that acres of land were reserved for future development projects. 

He said the community welcomed development initiatives not only from government but also from private investors and other individuals. 

Nii Amasa Osieku urged his fellow chiefs to desist from selling stool lands randomly. He said they were to ensure that land was available in support of development projects.