Chiefs in the Gukpegu Traditional Area have accused the Ghana Armed Forces of encroaching upon their lands.
The chiefs, who include Bomahi Naa Abubakari Mahamadu, Chief of Jisonayili, Chief of Zagyuri Naporo Abu, Chief of Gurugu Issahaka Nasagri, Chief of Dungu Abubakari Mahama, and the Fetish Priest of Katariga Tinganpaga Memunatu Issah, said the Ghana Armed Forces has unlawfully entered onto parts of their skin lands and demarcated plots of land that the military is selling to members of the public through the Lands Commission in Tamale, and has destroyed farms, trees, and properties of people.
They have therefore served notice to sue the military in court if they fail to stop the unlawful demarcation and sale of the lands.
A statement issued by the lawyer for the four chiefs, Awudu Issah Esq, from the Barret Ere Solicitor 822 2023 Yelinzo Chambers, said the Lawyers for the Chiefs had written a letter of intention to sue the Ghana Armed Forces and served notice to sue them if they failed to stop the unlawful demarcation and have since received their response, which is highly disappointing to say the least. “We are proceeding to court,” the statement said.
The chiefs therefore advised members of the general public that the Ghana Armed Forces have no authority to demarcate, allocate, or sell land in Jisonayili, Zagyuri, Gurugu, Dungu, or Katariga to any person.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, we wish to state that the Ghana Armed Forces has no land in these communities that it can lawfully sell, give, or allocate to any person or group. The Ghana Armed Forces is not an Estate or Housing Agency that can acquire skin lands from our Chiefs for building residential houses for sale to the general public,” the statement noted.
The chiefs cautioned all persons to refrain from accepting or buying land in Jisonayili, Zagyuri, Gurugu, Dungu, and Katariga from the Ghana Armed Forces,” it cautioned. They are also appealing to all Chiefs in Dagbon Kingdom to reject any offer of plots or land allocations by the Ghana Armed Forces on Jisonayili, Zagyuri, Gurugu, Dungu, and Katariga lands.
Source; Lukman Mohammed