Ga-Dangme Council Denounces Unlawful Eviction Attempts at Okanta
The Ga-Dangme Council has strongly condemned attempts to forcibly eject Ga-Dangme settlers from their ancestral lands at Okanta in the Eastern Region, warning that such actions pose a threat to national peace and constitutional order.
In a statement released on Sunday, December 14, the Council alleged it has received disturbing reports, including video evidence, of threats and intimidation directed at Ga-Dangme families who have resided in Okanta for nearly two centuries. These actions are reportedly being carried out by individuals asserting indigeneity to the area.
The Council emphasized that these families lawfully migrated and settled in Okanta long before the current generation, and their presence predates many contemporary land claims. According to the statement, the affected families originate from the Greater Accra Region and have peacefully coexisted with neighboring communities for centuries, contributing significantly to local agriculture, commerce, and social development.
“Their occupation and possession of the land and homes have been uninterrupted and uncontested until these recent events,” the statement read. The Council expressed grave concern over what it described as unlawful and reckless conduct, allegedly motivated by the desire to clear the land for illegal mining activities.
The Council firmly stated that such actions are unacceptable and illegal, stressing that vigilantism has no place in resolving land disputes. It cited Article 18(1) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantees the right to property ownership, and Article 20, which protects against arbitrary deprivation of property.
Furthermore, the Council highlighted the legal principle of adverse possession, recognized under Ghanaian law, which confers legitimate rights to long-term settlers. “These rights cannot be extinguished by mere assertions of indigeneity or unilateral declarations,” the statement emphasized. The Land Act, 2020, was also referenced as reinforcing the rights of long-term settlers.
Beyond property rights, the Council warned that the actions at Okanta could violate fundamental human rights, including the right to dignity (Article 15(1)) and protection against ethnic discrimination (Article 17).
The Ga-Dangme Council has called for urgent intervention from the Eastern Regional Security Council and law enforcement agencies to maintain peace and protect lives and property. It also urged the National and Eastern Regional Houses of Chiefs to prevent the misuse of customary authority to legitimize unlawful acts.
The Council appealed to opinion leaders and traditional authorities in Okanta to exercise restraint and prioritize dialogue. “We will not hesitate to pursue all lawful and constitutional avenues to protect the rights, dignity and ancestral heritage of Ga-Dangme people wherever they reside in Ghana,” stated Hon. J. Ayikoi Otoo, President of the Ga-Dangme Council.
The Council concluded by emphasizing the importance of national unity, asserting that “No citizen of this Republic should be treated as a stranger on land their forebears have occupied peacefully for generations.”
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
