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23.07.2014 General News

Stay Off Akokofoto Land – Sempe Chiefs Warns AMA

By Daily Guide
Stay Off Akokofoto Land 8211; Sempe Chiefs Warns AMA
23.07.2014 LISTEN

Elders of the Sempe stool at the press conference yesterday 

Kingmakers of Sempe Stool have issued a stern warning to Alfred Oko Vanderpuiye, Mayor of Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to desist from interfering in the Akokofoto lands matter.

They have also asked the Gbawe Stool to stay off the said lands, claiming that the lands also known as Poultry Farm at Dansoman belonged to them.

Nii Anam Tetteh, the Stool Registrar who read a statement on behalf of the kingmakers said the AMA boss must come clean as to where he stands in Sempe Stool affair.

'We heard that AMA Boss has described us as the so-called Elders of Sempe. That is unfortunate. There is so much to do in the city of Accra and instead of directing his attention to those matters he finds time to enter into the politics of stools. Does he know who the elders of the Sempe Stool are?' he said.

Nii Tetteh said the kingmakers of Sempe Stool are rational, broadminded and fair-minded people concerned to ensure that democratic values are upheld and arbitrary measures are curbed.

Chronicling the issue of the Akokofoto lands, he said the lands since time immemorial belonged to Sempe, explaining that 'they were part and parcel of lands title to which was litigated extensively by the Alata, Akumajay and Sempe Stools between 1945 and 1990 when the Supreme Court made its final pronouncement declaring Akokofoto to be specifically vested in the Sempe Stool.'

Nii Tetteh said since that judgment, the minor sub stool of Gbawe which belongs to the Kpakpatse We quarter of the Asere division of the Ga Traditional Council mounted an action and succeeded in obtaining a questionable declaration from an Accra High Court that Akokofoto belongs to Gbawe, in spite of three previous decisions of the High Court, Appeal Court and Supreme Court that the same lands belonged to Sempe Stool.

He said initially the Sempe Stool kingmakers initiated an action and obtained an order of injunction against Gbawe and its agents.

'Following that action, Gbawe in turn obtained an order of mandamus against the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (A.M.A) to demolish structures at Akokofoto without disclosing to the court that it was already litigating over the same lands with Sempe,' Nii Tetteh said.

He said neither Sempe nor the numerous occupants of Akokofoto were involved or informed of the case, stating that the court was deceived that Akokofoto had become a rubbish heap and slum, which were not true.

'We neither disrespect nor relish unnecessary stand-offs with individuals and institutions who matter in society.

'Our simple wish is for Sempe to play a useful and positive part in Accra and also ensure that the rights of Sempemei are equally protected by the State,' he said.

Nii Tetteh said, 'We instructed our Solicitor to ensure that all Sempe lands and properties wherever situate, lying or located are comprehensively defended and protected in the interest of stool subjects.'

 By: Cephas Larbi & Esther Osei Bonsu
 
 
 
 

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