Author: Investigative Journalist Daniel Benin (OHIM)
The Head of Family and Elders of the Tsopoli Traditional Council have issued a strong warning over what they describe as attempts by an individual, identified as Nii Tackie, to take control of portions of their ancestral lands around the Saglemi area.
At a charged press conference held at Tsopoli, the traditional leaders expressed outrage over what they alleged was the continued encroachment on lands they say belong to the Tsopoli people and their ancestors.
According to the elders, Nii Tackie recently entered the area with armed police officers and allegedly began erecting boundary pillars on portions of the disputed land.
They claimed that he justified his actions by stating that the land had been allocated to him through the Lands Commission.
The press conference brought together key traditional and family leaders who joined forces to speak on the matter. They included Alhaji Ibrahim Ayiku, Head of the Sausisi Family; Chief Imam Abdulai Agbo, Chief of Someh; and Numo Ofori Kumordzi Sodjah, Head of Sodja Wem. Also present were family elders Akuteye Joseph Nathan and Tetteh Kumordzi, as well as Tawiah Sodjah, Chairman of the Sausisi Family. Akuteye Joseph Nathan was also acknowledged in his capacity as a representative of the Sagremi Simpi, underscoring the united front presented by the various families and traditional authorities at the conference.
The elders, however, described the alleged actions as provocative and unlawful, accusing Nii Tackie of showing disregard for the authority and traditions of the Tsopoli Traditional Council.
Speaking on behalf of the Council, the Family Head said the people of Tsopoli had endured enough intimidation and would no longer remain silent over activities they believe threaten their ancestral heritage.
He consequently called on the Inspector-General of Police and other state authorities to investigate what he described as the use of police personnel to intimidate residents and farmers in the area.
The traditional leaders also questioned references allegedly made by Nii Tackie to a powerful person he described simply as being “above”, whom they claim he invokes whenever his activities are challenged.
“Who is this ‘above’? Is the ‘above’ bigger than the laws of Ghana? Is the ‘above’ bigger than our ancestors?” the elders asked, demanding answers from the appropriate authorities.
The Council stressed that Tsopoli remains a peace-loving traditional area and has no intention of taking the law into its own hands. However, the elders cautioned that the patience of the community was being severely tested.
They have therefore appealed to the President, the Inspector-General of Police, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and the Lands Commission to intervene urgently to prevent the situation from escalating.
The elders also called on the government to clarify the circumstances under which land associated with the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project, which they claim has historical ties to their ancestors and is also connected to state interests, could allegedly be allocated to a private individual.
“The government must answer us. Who gave the Saglemi Affordable Housing Project land to an individual called Nii Tackie, and who is this ‘above’ person allegedly backing him?” they queried.
The traditional leaders further alleged that farmers had been intimidated and farmlands threatened as a result of the ongoing land dispute, warning that authorities must act swiftly to preserve peace in the area.
The Tsopoli elders vowed to continue defending what they describe as their ancestral lands, while urging all parties to respect the law and traditional authority. They warned that any failure by the relevant authorities to address their concerns could heighten tensions, insisting that their call for intervention should be treated with the urgency it deserves.
Below is the full statement:
