Govt gives back land to Nungua stool

October 3, 2008 (Page 23)

THE government has handed over 1,016 acres to the Nungua Stool as part of its policy to return part of excess lands acquired by the State to its original owners.
The land is situated at Borteyman in an area popularly known as Nungua Farms in Accra.
To this end, a memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed between the government and the Nungua Stool at the offices of the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines.
The Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Mrs Esther Obeng-Dapaah, signed on behalf of the government while the Nungua Mantse, Odehekpakpa Odaifio Welentsi III, initialled on behalf of the stool.
Under the agreement, the remaining 1,524 acres, which constitutes 60 per cent, would remain state property, maintaining the State with the right to apply the said parcel of land to any relevant public purpose.
It was also agreed that the development of returned lands shall be in accordance with an approved planning scheme prepared for the land.
According to the MoU, until the development scheme had been prepared and duly approved for the area, Nungua Stool Land representatives could not develop the land.
"That for the avoidance of doubt, in the event of a breach by the second party (Nungua Stool Land) of this obligation the State shall be entitled to re-enter and forfeit the grant of land hereby made," the MoU explained.
The MoU further stated that the Nungua Stool had irrevocably undertaken, agreed and accepted to waive any present or future claims and/or demands in respect of the said parcel of land.
Mrs Obeng-Dapaah stated that although the government had acquired the land and paid compensation for its acquisition, it decided to give back 40 per cent of the land to its original owners to promote the optimal use of lands.
She said the move was also aimed at engendering trust and co-operation between the State and land-owning groups.
Mrs Obeng-Dapaah expressed the hope that the land would be put to optimum use.
For his part, Odehekpakpa Welentsi described the agreement as unique, because although the government had already paid compensation for the land it still went ahead to allocate the 40 per cent for free.
He said he was happy the government had respected their views and handed over that portion of land for development purposes.