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The lease of portions of St. John’s Grammar School land to a private company has resulted in direct confrontation between the school authorities and Ga West Municipal Assembly as well as the residents in the area.


Management of St. John’s Grammar led by its board chairman, Joseph Nkum Okyere leased about five acres of the school’s land to a concrete manufacturing company, J & E Group Limited for 14 years.


The board chairman in a letter dated October 9, 2014 gave the right of entry to the company, stating that “St. John’s Grammar Senior High School by this letter is granting R & E Group Limited, having satisfied all requirements concerning the Right of Entry to the land, to commence work on their intended project.”
However, the Ga West Municipal Assembly and the residents around St. John’s Grammar, a government assisted second cycle institution near Achimota in Accra, are resisting the citing of a concrete batching plant in the area.


The Assembly, the Publisher learnt, has insisted it will not allow the setting up of such a giant plant on the land because it will pose as health hazard to the students in the school as well as the residents around the vicinity.


Consequently, the school authorities would have to cough out the money for the lease to the company.


The lease agreement, which was signed on September 24, 2014 between the board chairman (licensor) and the Managing Director of the company Turker Sari (Licensee), indicated that the company paid an amount of GH¢120,000.00 for the first two years of the period of the license.


According to the agreement, licence or permission was granted to the company to only use the land for its business for a period of 14 years.


However, the initial term shall be subject to a renewal for further terms to be agreed under new terms.
Furthermore, the company shall pay GH¢120,000.00 plus an increment of 10% for the second two years immediately after the first two years and a continuous incremental payment each subsequent two years of 10% on the aggregate sum for the previous two-year period.


The agreement added that notwithstanding the aforementioned conditions, the company had unequivocally agreed to provide the following facilities to the St. John’s Grammar:


“To build or construct at its own cost a 2 meter high and 250 meter length fence wall using concrete and block combination to secure the 5 Acre land the subject of this licence and to level the land the subject of this licence with filing material for smooth usage.


“To install on the land the subject of this licence the Licensee’s own electrical power and borehole water supply installation;
“To construct its own management offices for their use;
“The licensee may contribute financially as otherwise to the school’s development from time to time.


“The Licensee hereby indemnifies the Licensor against any claims and or liabilities arising out of its dealings, acts, default, negligence in tort, contracts or any obligation to any person whomsoever or otherwise howsoever.”