Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, has expressed great worry about the way in which some of his traditional leaders have participated in duplicate sales of lands while others have forcibly seized lands from owners over expired leases with impunity.
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Thus, he has threatened Kumasi’s traditional elders, warning them to stop deceiving locals by abusing their control over lands or else.
The Asantehene claimed: “You people are disgracing me; please be careful with what you are doing. I’m being falsely accused of your illegal operations in the Area.
Your illicit activities are a disgrace to the esteemed Chieftaincy institution and me, the Asantehene, he said, “You are making me lose my faith among you all.”
The Bantamahene, Baffour Owusu Amankwatia VI, and the Amakomhene, Nana Adu Mensah Asare, both prominent chiefs, appeared before the Kumasi Traditional Council (KTC) regarding the double sale of land and the snatching of land due to an expired lease, respectively. The Asantehene made these remarks at the time.
The Amakomhene took the stage on February 23, 2023, after the Bantamehene made an appearance on February 20, 2023.
According to rumors, the Bantamahene sold the same plot of property to a church and one Mr. Amponsah, confusing the two parties.
The Amakomhene had, on his part, stolen a plot of property from a couple who had been living there since 1942 and sold it to the Church of Pentecost as a result of an expired lease.
The Asantehene ordered Bantamahene to release all documents pertaining to the land to Mr. Amponsah, to whom he had originally sold the land, and again instructed him to return the money he had taken from the church within 14 days, as he had pledged before the KTC, after the land dispute between Bantamahene and the parties involved was resolved.
Additionally, he gave Bantamahene instructions to make sure that Mr. Amponsah received access to all land documentation by 10 a.m. on February 21, 2023.
When Bantamahene brought up such situations, Otumfuo, who had no qualms about speaking his mind, remarked, “Baffour, with the stature of the seat you hold, it means you are disgracing me.”
Instead, “you will supervise your own destoolment; tomorrow I will not forget to remove you,” he warned, warning him to avoid similar behaviors. This prosecution against Bantamahene is unfair. You are bringing down the Bantama stool’s stature.
After the lease expired, the Asantehene gave Nana Apagyahene the order to send surveyors to the property and divide it into three sections: one should be given to Nana Adu Mensah Asare, the Amakomhene, and the remaining two, including his (the Asantehene), should be returned to the woman for peace to reign.
During the conversation, he said, “There are clear legal and traditional mechanisms for restoring expired leases; you don’t immediately evict individuals from their home as soon as you learn their lease has ended. You split the aforementioned land into three equal portions; Asantehene receives one, the woman gets one, and Amakom stool receives one as well. Why must you grab everything by force when there is no need to intimidate? Asantehene erupted in rage.
He advised the Amakomhene to adhere to customary lease management guidelines.
