The Apenkwa Gbeeowomil Mantse, Nii Adjetey Obour Buor II, has appealed to President John Mahama and current authorities to address rampant land encroachment in his jurisdiction.
The plea came during a traditional ceremony in Teshie that saw the induction of new sub-chiefs and queen mothers into the Apenkwa divisional council.
Speaking at a press conference following the customary rites, Mantse Buor II highlighted the community’s struggle against illegal land acquisitions supported by armed land guards. “Previous governments have failed to protect rightful landowners,” he stated, calling for out-of-court settlements to resolve protracted disputes. The chief also emphasized the need for job creation to engage local youth productively.
Queen Mother Nana Tambia Oforiwaa echoed these concerns, detailing how unchecked trespassing threatens ancestral lands in Apenkwa and surrounding areas including Adenta and Amrahia. The ceremony itself, which featured the swearing-in of leaders like Gyasenye Naa Kordey Gbomo Sane and war captains (Asafo), underscored the cultural significance of the land preservation issue.
This appeal spotlights growing tensions between traditional land custodians and urban developers in Greater Accra’s outskirts. With land disputes increasingly turning violent due to weak enforcement, the chief’s intervention signals mounting pressure on authorities to balance heritage protection with urban expansion demands.
As Accra’s development frontier expands, such cases test Ghana’s ability to harmonize modern growth with traditional governance systems. The Apenkwa leadership’s call may set a precedent for how communities confront land grabs nationwide.
