The students, who had wore red armbands on Tuesday, said they do not feel safe because they have received death threats from some of the encroachers.

“We are demonstrating because the school is not safe. Not long ago, a student was threatened by some community guys that if the headmistress does not stop protecting the school, they are going to kill the students”, one student demonstrator said.

The students thus want the encroachers to stop their activities that threaten the existence of the school and the lives of teachers and students.

Another student said, “Looking at the things happening in the school, we know that learning without a peaceful environment we can’t make it, so if we don’t speak for our right that the land is for us, people will take up the land”.

Government has awarded a contract for the construction of a twelve-unit classroom block on the school land, but the supposed violent encroachers have been frustrating the work of the of contractors.

The foreman at the site said, “three or four days ago, I started the profile and the people over here came and destroyed it; I did it again with police presence, but overnight they came and destroyed it again”.

The contractors have asked for security in order to continue with the project because they still fear for their lives as the threats from the local people continue.

Speaking to journalists, the Headmistress of the school, Madam Florence Siaw-Offei, lamented how the school land has reduced drastically from over 74 acres to less than 34 acres, while the school is actually occupying less than 20 acres due to encroachment.

She said the Central Regional Minister, Kwame Duncan, the Cape Coast Metropolitan Chief Executive, Ernest Arthur, and other authorities have been holding stakeholder meetings on the land saga, and some orders have been issued to the encroachers, but the threats continue.
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By: Kwamina Ackon/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Achimota secured the injunction to restrain developers from encroaching on the school’s land back in 2016, after an almost six-year legal battle with the Osu Traditional Council.

[contextly_sidebar id=”zwxf3gvy2Tj5PxvzGbLP81iuTzsJh5AD”]The Council had taken possession of the lands arguing that, they were not being used for the purposes they were intended for.

However, the Board of the school, with the support of the school’s Old Students Association, secured the injunction and declared their intention to retain their land through all lawful means.

And following Thursday’s ruling by the Court of Appeal, the school intends to take their case to the apex court in an attempt to get their concerns addressed.

Addressing a press conference attended by some old students of the school, President of the Association and former Vice Chancellor of University of Ghana, Professor Ernest Aryeetey, argued that the Court of Appeal “erred gravely” by not considering their argument on the issue of capacity.

“Our preliminary view is that, the Court of Appeal erred gravely. The court’s decision that the school was aware of Osu’s action against the Lands Commission leading to the 2011 judgement is not supported by the evidence provided in this case. The Court of Appeal was silent on and did not consider our argument regarding when the school became aware of that action.”

“We also disagree with the Court’s position that the school should have sought permission from the parties in the 2010 action, and joined it to accept the school’s right to the 172 acres. The Judicial pronouncements relied on by the Court of Appeal do not include actions based on fraud. We think the court of appeal gravely erred,” he said.

Professor Aryeetey added that, the school would ask the Supreme Court to overturn the  Court of Appeal’s decision and restore the injunction they secured in 2016.

“The School Board with the support of the Old Achimotans Association has decided to refer the case to the Supreme Court and we’ve instructed our solicitors accordingly.

“The School Board is asking the Supreme Court to overturn the Court of Appeal’s ruling and also reinstate the interlocutory injunction raised on the Osu stool by the High Court in 2016. We are going to the Supreme Court to ensure that yesterday’s ruling is overturned,” he said.

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By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Achimota School heads to Supreme Court over encroachment appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The members of the group, who accused various institutions including the La-Nkwantanang Municipal Assembly of neglect, described the takeover of the hospital’s land as alarming.

Speaking to Citi News, the Convener of the Concerned Group of Pantang, Nana Boamah, said it was necessary for immediate action to be taken to protect the lands.

“Last year. we began, his agitation to have the hospital reclaim its lands because some individuals claim they bought the land from some family members whilst others claim they have a judgment on the land.”

“Professor Badu Akosa wrote to the Lands Commission and they came with a response demarcating the limits and size of the Pantang land in 2006, but parts of the lands which were earmarked are being encroached on. So in the next two weeks, if the stakeholders including the Ministry and the Assembly don’t come in to stop this thing, then we have to pour out on the street in a massive way.  Even if it means getting the patients involved, we will do that.”

Some angry staff and residents who also spoke to Citi News said, the building of homes on the land will not only undermine the security of Ghana’s second largest psychiatric hospital, but will also endanger the lives of the new owners.

“It doesn’t make sense for government to buy a land and give part of it to private individuals. But if government has, then they need to take it back. These new buildings are going to block the vantage point of the hospital, what do we do in emergency cases. With the new structures too, there will be so many new entrances into the hospital, how do we protect the inmates and these people,” an agitated employee added.

The residents called on the President, Akufo-Addo, to as a matter of urgency come to the aid of the Hospital before more lands are taken.

“The lands have all been sold; even the churches have bought some. They have blocked all the pathways and have been making our lives miserable. We are not allowed to move freely anymore. We are pleading with the president, if these lands really belong to the state then government has to take it back.”

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By: Felicia Osei/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Gov’t asked to halt encroachment on Pantang hospital lands appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The President was speaking at the 90th Anniversary celebration of Achimota School, which has had to contend with the threat of land guards due to encroachment on their land.

The school has in the past lamented the threat to the security of students, as it revealed that five murders took place on the school property at some point in 2016.

President Akufo-Addo described encroachment on Achimota school lands, and its resulting consequences, as sad, whilst noting that all Ghanaians had a stake in the state of the school, which is known to be an academic icon that has tutored many prominent Ghanaians including President Akufo-Addo’s father, former Chief Justice and President of Ghana, Edward Akufo-Addo.

“The safety and security of Achimota cannot be the responsibility of only those who go to school here or are old students. Achimota is a national icon. It belongs to the people of Ghana and the conversation about what happens to Achimota cannot be limited to a discussion within these walls,” the President said.

“Other schools have lost lives, not on the dramatic scale of Achimota but what little they have lost means they no longer have a playing field and the consequences are equally grave. The problem of encroachment of school lands as a whole will receive urgent attention from my government.”

President Akufo-Addo assured that his government would strive for a “satisfactory solution” on the matter of encroachment.

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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmoline.com/Ghana

The post We’ll deal urgently with encroachment on school lands – Nana Addo appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Baffour Gyan, the elder brother of Asamoah Gyan, was arrested earlier in September for allegedly leading assault on Daniel Kenu, a journalist from the Daily Graphic.

Baffour is reported to have taken offence at a question asked by Kenu at the pre-match press conference before the game between Ghana and Uganda in Kumasi.

Mr. Kenu was allegedly assaulted by a group of well-built men, who have since been arrested, and sustained injuries for which he required head scans and medical treatment.

There have been several calls for the case against Baffour to be dropped.

[contextly_sidebar id=”JaboltVRMculXf8x0xHiC298iBJ0i1M6″] Mr. Ashigbey had already stated that they would pursue the case in court, but Baffour who was granted bail by a Kumasi circuit court is reported to be seeking an out-of-court settlement.

However the livid MD of Graphic Communications, reiterated at a forum of journalists in Accra on Monday that they intend to pursue the case until the end.

“We need to protect our own. And the way to do so is to ensure that if anything happens we will follow it to the logical conclusion.”

“And it does not matter whether it is your journalist or a journalist from another house.”

Ken Ashigbey revealed that some influential persons in society had called on him to withdraw the case but dismissed the calls, stating that “all those big men who are calling me should stop. We will go to court.”

Several influential bodies have condemned the attack on the journalist, including the Ghana Football Association (GFA) and the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA).

By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post ‘We’ll go to court’ – Graphic MD fumes over Gyan assault case appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.