A contentious land ownership disputes and indiscriminately land grabbing accusations against the New Patriotic Party NPP government in the Greater Region has caught the attention of the Ghanaian public as residents in East Legon have revealed that a highly powered member of the ruling party and a Minister of State is attempting to grab a land belonging to a businessman
According to a resident who spoked on condition of anonymity the soon to be named Vice Presidential Candidate of Dr. Mahamoud Bawumia, Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh is at the center of land-grabbing dispute which has been reported to the police.
He has however decided to disregard several invitations from the police.
A search at the Lands Commission has shed light on the true ownership of the said land at East Legon, raising questions about property rights and the government appointee’s adherence to the rule of law.
The resident further revealed that on December 11, 2022, a group of land guards came on the land, demolished the fence wall and nearly demolished a 2 bedroom house the caretakers were living. The resident added that the matter was reported to the Legon police station for Investigation.
According to the resident, few months ago another group of land guard invaded the place again and a number of them were arrested by the police and are assisting in investigation.
During investigation it was revealed that the Minister of Energy, Mathew Opoku Prempeh and one Nana Osei Kyeretwie Prempeh were behind the unlawful trespassing on the said land claiming that the land belongs to their mother.
The resident stated that the businessman has been the owner of the said land since 2011 and has began documentation at the Lands Commission and other authorities.
‘The Minister could have used a lawful and proper means to approach the businessman for settlement but rather chose to use the services of land guards and state machinery to assault workers and caretakers of the land’. The source noted.
According to the resident, the businessman engaged Mathew Opoku Prempeh in telephone conversation where he accepted that he is the one who invaded the land because it belong to his mother.
The resident further revealed that Hon. Prempeh recently applied for a variation which according to the resident means the land was not for the Minister adding that the businessman completed the variation since 2011 and has stayed on the land till now without any disturbances before the Minister send his land guards to beat up the caretakers and the workers.
He called on the Inspector General of Police to as a matter of urgency invite Mathew Opoku Prempeh for questioning as he is playing hide and seek with the CID.
