Residents of Amrahia Dairy Farm in the Greater Accra Region have appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to intervene and order investigations into what they describe as the unlawful demolition of their properties by individuals.
The appeal follows the demolition of several structures in the area, including a church building, which residents insist were legally acquired and developed over the past two years.
The affected residents say they have suffered significant financial losses running into thousands of cedis and are calling for urgent action to establish the circumstances surrounding the demolitions and bring those responsible to justice.
The disputed land forms part of the approximately 2,000-acre Amrahia Dairy Farm, which was originally acquired by the state through Executive Instrument (EI) 1970 for dairy production purposes.
The project reportedly operated for about three decades before becoming dormant. In 2020, the Akufo-Addo administration, through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, returned 40 per cent of the acquired land to the original stool and family owners.
Tensions over ownership of portions of the land have since persisted, with competing claims emerging from various parties.
The latest dispute culminated in the demolition of a number of structures, prompting residents and members of Heaven Investment Chapel to stage a demonstration to protest what they described as the failure of state institutions to investigate the matter.
According to the demonstrators, nearly two months after the demolition exercise, no arrests have been made and no official explanation has been provided despite several petitions submitted to state authorities.Residents alleged that a group of men entered the community and began pulling down buildings without any court order or legal authorisation.
Among those affected was the Founder and Head Pastor of Heaven Investment Chapel, Bishop Prosper Joemens Rohrmiller, whose church premises were demolished during the exercise.
Addressing the media, Bishop Rohrmiller expressed frustration over what he described as the silence of state institutions despite repeated appeals for intervention.
He disclosed that petitions had been submitted to the Ghana Police Service, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the Police Intelligence and Professional Standards Bureau (PIPS), and the Office of the President, yet no response had been received.
According to him, the church had acquired six plots of land on which it had commenced the construction of a three-storey facility intended to serve as an auditorium, office complex and residential accommodation.
He said the structures were destroyed during the demolition exercise.The pastor further revealed that the church had petitioned security agencies to investigate certain individuals and a company that had laid claim to ownership of the land.
In a petition addressed to the Director-General of the CID, Bishop Rohrmiller accused the company of unlawfully destroying church property and called for immediate intervention.
“Individuals trespassed and caused unlawful damage to my property without a court order or provocation and also claimed ownership of the land without any proper documents. I am therefore petitioning your good office for assistance and intervention in this matter in the interest of justice,” portions of the petition stated.
A separate petition addressed to the Office of the President described the demolition as an infringement on the rights of an entire religious community and urged the government to ensure accountability.
Recounting events leading up to the demolition, Bishop Rohrmiller said notices had earlier been posted by a company claiming to be acting under a power of attorney on behalf of an individual who asserted ownership of the land.
According to him, occupants of the area were given 21 days to regularise their tenancy arrangements.
However, he alleged that excavators were deployed to the site less than a week after the notices were served.
The pastor claimed that operators initially demolished portions of the church’s perimeter fence before returning the following day to level the entire structure.
“They demolished every building and wall we had put up. They demolished all three separate blocks. Our concern is that an entire property was demolished without a court order.
“No court authorised that demolition, yet up till now, no one has been arrested. We are all Ghanaians and deserve protection under the law,” he said.
Residents also questioned the delay in investigations, arguing that the inaction of state institutions could fuel perceptions that the demolition exercise was carried out with official backing.
According to them, some of the individuals involved in the exercise allegedly claimed they were acting on instructions from higher authorities, including the Jubilee House.
The residents are, therefore, calling on President Mahama, the Ghana Police Service and other relevant state agencies to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and ensure justice for all affected persons.
They insist that the rule of law must prevail and that no individual or organisation should be permitted to demolish private property without due legal process.
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