Government returns 13,000-acre Ejura farms to Traditional Council, ending ownership dispute

The Government of Ghana, under the leadership of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has officially handed over the 13,000-acre Ejura Farms to the Ejura Traditional Council.

This move concludes years of contention surrounding the ownership of the land.

The symbolic handover ceremony was facilitated by the Director-General of the State Interest and Governance Authority (SIGA), Mr. John Boadu, in collaboration with the Minister of Public Enterprises, Hon. Joseph Cudjoe. The land, originally leased to an American private company until 2018, came under government management after the lease expired.

Efforts by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to privatize the property were met with strong resistance from the Ejura Traditional Council, led by Ejuramanhene Nana Barima Osei Hwedie II. Following legal and administrative proceedings, the Traditional Council successfully asserted its rightful claim to the land after the Ministry failed to provide adequate documentation to establish government ownership.

Subsequently, President Akufo-Addo instructed the removal of the property from the divestiture list, paving the way for its return to the Traditional Council.

During the ceremony, Mr. John Boadu commended Ejurahene Barima Osei Hwedie II for his resilience and urged the people of Ejura to support the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming elections, advocating for massive votes for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and parliamentary candidate Gifty.

In his address, Barima Osei Hwedie II reflected on the challenges his council faced in reclaiming the land, citing instances of unfair treatment regarding machinery and rent revenues. He expressed gratitude to the elders of Ejura for their unwavering support during the struggle.

The Ejuramanhene pledged to ensure the reclaimed land would be utilized for the benefit of the people of Ejura and the nation. Emphasizing its potential, he remarked that the return of the land marked a new beginning for agricultural and economic development in the community.