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A group of landowners from several communities within the Ejisu Municipality have formally petitioned His Royal Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, expressing deep concerns over what they describe as deliberate misinformation surrounding a disputed 1,950-acre parcel of land.
The petitioners, who hail from Asarpong, Abenase, Ampabame, Manhyia, Hwereso, and Adadientem, stated categorically that they have never received any compensation from the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA) for the said land, despite claims made by certain traditional leaders before the Manhyia Palace.
In their petition dated April 1, 2025, the landowners expressed profound appreciation to the Asantehene for boldly affirming the truth during a previous engagement—that no financial transaction had ever occurred between the GFZA and the landowners.
“We are grateful to Your Majesty for courageously stating the truth—that we have not benefited from any sale of our lands to the Free Zones Authority,” the petition read.
The landowners accused some unnamed chiefs of deliberately misleading the Manhyia Traditional Council by falsely claiming that payments had been made and that the lands were available for government development. According to them, those chiefs acted in bad faith, having already sold parts of the land without the knowledge or consent of the rightful owners.
Recounting the timeline of events, the petitioners explained that the GFZA approached them in 2004 to acquire the land but failed to return or finalize the process. After more than two decades of silence, they resumed full control and began developing or legally transferring the land to others, many of whom have since built permanent homes and businesses.
“There are no longer any lands available for the Free Zones Authority. We have developed our lands or lawfully handed them over to others who have built permanent homes,” the petitioners emphasized.
Speaking to Newsmen, The Leader of the group, Mr Dominic Addai Akuoko, said the prolonged inaction by the GFZA compelled them to sell the land to private developers.
“For over 25 years now, Free Zones haven’t compensated us. Therefore, we’ve also sold the lands to private developers. People have built their homes on the lands,” he stated.
Some of the landowners are also appealing to Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for forgiveness over their decision to sell the land, acknowledging that while it was a difficult step, it became necessary after years of frustration and neglect.
The petition not only seeks to clarify the true history behind the land transaction but also serves as a formal notice to the Manhyia Traditional Council that any future claim by the GFZA would be untenable.
This latest development sheds light on the complex tensions between traditional leadership, state agencies, and local landowners in the Ashanti Region, especially regarding land acquisition, delayed government projects, and accountability.
