Tsopoli elders raise alarm over alleged encroachment on ancestral lands near Saglemi

The Head of Family and elders of the Tsopoli Traditional Council in the Ningo-Prampram District of the Greater Accra Region have accused an individual identified as Nii Tackie of attempting to take over portions of their ancestral lands near the Saglemi Housing Project.

At a press conference in Tsopoli on Sunday, November 1, the traditional leaders alleged that Nii Tackie had repeatedly encroached on lands they claim belong to the people of Tsopoli and their ancestors.

They further alleged that he recently visited the disputed area with armed police officers and began placing boundary pillars on sections of the land.

According to the elders, Nii Tackie reportedly claimed that the Lands Commission had allocated the land to him.

The press conference was attended by several traditional and family leaders who expressed opposition to what they described as an infringement on their ancestral inheritance.

Among those present were Alhaji Ibrahim Ayiku, Head of the Sausisi Family; Chief Imam Abdulai Agbo, Chief of Someh; and Numo Ofori Kumordzi Sodjah, Head of Sodja Wem.

Others included family elders Akuteye Joseph Nathan and Tetteh Kumordzi, as well as Tawiah Sodjah, Chairman of the Sausisi Family. Akuteye Joseph Nathan was also identified as a representative of the Sagremi Simpi.

The elders described the alleged actions as provocative and unlawful, accusing Nii Tackie of disregarding the authority and traditional customs of the Tsopoli Traditional Council.

Speaking for the Council, the Family Head said residents had experienced repeated intimidation and could no longer remain silent over developments they believe threaten their ancestral lands.

He called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and other relevant authorities to investigate the alleged involvement of police officers in intimidating residents and farmers in the area.

The traditional leaders also questioned references allegedly made by Nii Tackie to a powerful individual he reportedly describes as being “above”, whom they claim he invokes whenever his activities are challenged.

“Who is this ‘above’? Is the ‘above’ bigger than the laws of Ghana? Is the ‘above’ bigger than our ancestors?” the elders asked, urging the authorities to establish the identity of the person being referenced.

Although the Council reaffirmed its commitment to peace, it warned that the community’s patience was being tested. The elders, however, stressed that they had no intention of taking the law into their own hands.

They appealed to President John Dramani Mahama, the IGP, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the Lands Commission to intervene to prevent the dispute from escalating.

The Council also wants the government to explain how land associated with the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, which the elders claim has historical ties to their ancestors and state interests, could allegedly have been allocated to a private individual.

“The government must answer us. Who gave the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project land to an individual called Nii Tackie, and who is this ‘above’ person allegedly backing him?” they queried.

The elders further alleged that the dispute had led to the intimidation of farmers and threats to their farmlands. They warned that urgent intervention was needed to protect residents and preserve peace in the area.

The Tsopoli traditional leaders maintained that they would continue to defend what they consider their ancestral lands, while calling on all parties to respect the law and the authority of traditional institutions.

They cautioned that failure by the relevant authorities to address their concerns could heighten tensions, insisting that their appeal for intervention should not be ignored.