By King Amoah.
(Editor, Cnnectghananews.com/ Content WriterOpera News)
Accra, Ghana – Justice delayed is justice denied, they said goes with the time honored according to adage.
In the Republic of Ghana a nation governed by law and order a concerning pattern persists.
Aauthorities often appear to turn a blind eye to critical issues until they spiral out of control to demand costly and reactive solutions.
Recent history bears witness to this from the intractable Bawku conflict to the tragic stamped at the El Wak stadium during the Ghana Armed Force recruitment exercise.
Now another simmering crisis in Asantekrom in the Eastern Region threatens to erupt into full blown conflict a situation which bas prompted a leading journalist King Amoah to issue an urgent call for presidential intervention.
The editor of the leading website King Amoah is sounding the alarm over the alleged unlawful seizure of a sprawling 4,000 acres of land belonging to the people of Asantekrom.
The alleged perpetrator is Kofi Anokye the Managing Director of Koans Estate Developing Company who reportedly links his audacious actions to the fact that his government is in power to imply a chilling sense of impunity.
Impact on Local Communities and Historical Context:
Asantekrom is an ancient community with a rich history having existed peacefully and in unity for over 150 years.
Generations have lived and thrived on these lands which are now under threat.
For the past five months, Koans Estate Developing Company has unleashed a reign of terror by resorting to threatening residents with landguards.
This has resulted in a widespread destruction with numerous houses and vital farmlands razed leaving families displaced and dispossessed.
Kofi Anokye without any recognized authority from the chiefs and elders of the area, unilaterally claims ownership of these ancestral lands.
Previous Government Inaction and Escalation:
Nana Asante Baffour, the chief of Asantekrom along with his elders have tirelessly organized a series of press conferences to draw government attention to this grave injustice.
Despite these earnest pleas their efforts have been met with a frustrating silence and inaction.
Significantly even a direct directive for action from President John Dramani Mahama in his tenure apparently yielded no results, thus allowing the situation to fester.
The lack of decisive intervention has emboldened Koans Estate, leading to an alarming escalation of their destructive activities.
Latest developments reveal that the company has leveraged its perceived impunity by causing more harm than before.
In text message to the Chief of the town Nana Baffour Asante Kofi Anokye the Director of the, Company has threatened to pull down the chief’s palace.
Furthermore the company has reportedly initiated legal proceedings against the chief and elders for daring to organize press conferences against them a move widely seen as an attempt to silence dissent and intimidate the community.
Presidential Promises and the Urgent Call for Justice:
During his 2024 campaign, President John Dramani Mahama personally assured the residents of Asantekrom that he would launch a full scale investigation into the issue if voted to become the next president.
It is against this background, and with the palpable risk of widespread violence where the journalist King Amoah is making an impassioned plea for swift presidential intervention.
The parallels with other national flashpoints where initial inaction led to human and social costs cannot be ignored.
The unlawful seizure of land, coupled with the use of landguards and the destruction of ancestral homes are volatile mix that could easily ignite an ethnic or communal conflict with dire implications for national security and stability, akin to the tragic lessons learned from Bawku.
Whilst our investigations into this deeply disturbing issue continue we unequivocally call on President John Dramani to honor his commitment and act decisively.
Kofi Anokye the Managing Director of Koans Estate Company, must be brought to book and held accountable under the law.
No individual or entity regardless of their perceived political connections are not above the laws of the country.
The time for action is now before the situation in Asantekrom irrevocably deteriorates into an unexpected catastrophe.
Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.
Attached audio picture shows a section of residents who attended some of the press conferences amidst putting their grievances across
