The true boundaries of the Nii Odai Ntow family land at Kwabenya, a suburb of Accra, has been established, following a landmark judgement delivered by an Accra High Court 7, (Land Division) that resolved the protracted land dispute.
The Nii Odai Ntow family, who are defendants in the case were also ordered not to go out of their boundaries, after the common boundary for the two parties had been set out by surveyors.
It follows a March 9, 2022 judgement by His Lordship Justice Amo Yartey in a suit No. L/254/1999 between Offei Kwaku Mante substituted by Rev. Alexander Aryeequaye, substituted by Nii Amu Mante as (plaintiff) Vs. Mike Similao, S.K Botchway, Kofi Botchway, Nii Aryee Annang substituted by Evans O. Anteh as (defendants), where all reliefs sought by the Plaintiff were denied, while the counterclaim by the defendants were granted.
In order to bring peace to the area, the Court ordered the Survey and Mapping Division of the Lands Commission to assist the parties to set out their common boundary.
Excerpts of the order read, “It is hereby ordered that the Survey and Mapping Division of the Lands Commission preproduce Exhibit 2A (described as Bosumpim & Anor v Martei & Ors, 1904 Plan) which Judgement Plan was tendered by the 1st & 5th Defendants during the trial.
It is further ordered that the Survey and Mapping Division assist the parties to set out their common boundary on the ground on the South Western part of the said 1904 Judgement Plan (Exhibit 2A) as the common boundary between the Plaintiff and 4th Defendants families”
But at a press conference on Thursday, July 27 at Kwabenya, secretary of the Nii Kofi Apenteng family, Mr. Adu Mante Apenteng said, the results of the survey conducted have vindicated the position of the plaintiffs.
Flanked by other elders and representatives of Nii Ngleshi Addy family, Nii We family, Nii Dodo Clottey family, Awura Naa Hansen family and Nii Okaidja Onukpa family who were all have been affected in the litigation, Mr. Apenteng told the media that, the portions of the land being claimed by defendants is 4000 feet far away from theirs.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, I am pleased to announce to you that on the 26th day of July 2023, the Survey and Mapping Division carried out the setting out as ordered by the court. And I’m pleased to inform you that the land claimed by 1st to 5th defendants is four thousand feet (4000) far away from our (Nii Kofi Apenteng family) land”.
According to him, “the public is hereby notified that the true position of the Nii Odai Ntow family land has been made clear, the Nii Odai Ntow family cannot lay claim to, grant nor lease any land outside the 1904 judgement plan”.
He indicated that, the purported land belonging to the Nii Odai Ntow family is around the Ashongman enclave, but not Kwabenya or Pokuase areas to be trespassing and therefore, families who may have lost their properties as a result of the actions of the defendants can now have a sigh of relief.
“In fact, the land of the 1st to 5th defendants are somewhere in Ashongman and nowhere near Kwabenya, Pokuase, Brekuso or Katapor.
Finally, all these families who have lost control of their right to enjoy their property bequeathed to them by their ancestors and spent so much time and money to reclaim their lands will now enjoy their lands in peace,” the Nii Kofi Apenteng family secretary stated.
He commended the judiciary for resolving the matter expeditiously, saying “Nonetheless I want to commend the judiciary for their exceptional work in resolving some of these land litigations timeously”.
