The Gomoa East District Assembly has placed a lifetime ban on all forms of ‘land guard’ activities, including ‘digging fees’ within the entire district.
This, according to the Assembly, would help to end the myriad of needless intimidations and violence among other threats perpetrated by these land guards and other unscrupulous ones, in relation to land usage in the area.
Addressing a news conference at Postin, the District Chief Executive, Mr Solomon Darko-Quarm indicated that land guard activities were gaining notoriety in the area, even though there was a general ban on activities of ‘vigilantism,’ which included land guards.
According to him, “The Parliament of Ghana has passed the Vigilantism and Related Offences Act 999 (2019).”
This, he indicated, was meant to “prohibit the act or threat of violence or intimidation by a person or group of persons to further the interest of a land lord or owner or purchaser of landed property or a real estate developer,” he said.
He added, however, that this has not been deterring enough as some notorious land guards in the district continued to operate in contravention of the law and perpetrated violence against others.
“Over the 4-year existence of the Gomoa East District Assembly, it has received myriad of complaints from inhabitants and the general public, about the activities of “land guards” in the district, contrary to the provisions in the law referred hereto.”
Chiefs and DISEC decision
Following the life threatening nature of the activities of landguards in the area, the District Security Council together with chiefs have banned all land guard activities with immediate effect.
This decision, according to Mr Darko-Quarm, was reached at a crucial meeting held on 15th September, 2022 between DISEC and the Chiefs, elders and opinion leaders in the district.
It is instructive to mention that landguard activities have gained prominence in areas such as Dampaase (Langma), Nyanyano, Nyanyano Kakraba and Kojoku. Others include Fetteh & FettehKakraba; Millennium City, Budumburam, Apra andNkwantanan among other places.
“This decision is to bring lasting peace and security to residents and developers relocating to the rapidly growing District.
It is also intended to attract many more investors to the District, which is already blessed with Seven (7) 1D1Fs, to create more jobs for the youth of the area”, he added.
To achieve the above, the Assembly, in collaboration with all the Security Services in the District, would henceforth, take notice of all construction works across the entire district.
This would help the DISEC to map out strategies through surveillance and intelligence gathering to ward off any miscreants who parade themselves as land guards and terrorise the people.
Additionally, what has become commonly known as “Digging Fees” in the area shall be incorporated into the payments for the land, and shall be paid only once.
Per the Assembly, DISEC and the Chiefs’ resolution, the money would only be paid to the Land Owner, Guarantor, Lessor or their assigns at home during the handover of site plan and indentures.
“On NO ACCOUNT shall anyone demand “Digging Fees” on the field or at construction sites in any part of the District”, Mr Darko-Quarm warned.
To ensure strict compliance and adherence, the Gomoa East DISEC with the support and concurrence of the Chiefs and elders would intensify monitoring at all levels all the time.
Mr Darko-Quarm further warned that the Assembly would “ruthlessly deal with any person or group of persons, who engage in any act that seeks to flout, undermine or disregard this directive.”
In line with the above directives, all Estate Developers in the District were cautioned to refrain from engaging the services of land guards because it would not be countenanced.
Chiefs who took part in the decision were Nana Kwadofrakye V, Omankrado, GomoaAkyempim Traditional Council, Fetteh Chiefs and Elders led by Nana KwesiKwansah (a.k.aKwesiAlhaji) Omankrado, Gomoa Fetteh.
Others are Nyanyano Chiefs and Elders led by Nana AryeeteyAnkobeahen, GomoaNyanyano, Nana KojoEssel, Budumburam Chief and Elders, Nana EsselAmoquandoh, FettehKakraba Chief and Elders, Nene Ohemeh, Dampaase (Langma) Chief and Elders Kojoku Chief and Elders
