Members of the Vakpo youth association on Monday hit the principal streets of Vakpo amidst drumming and chanting of war songs in demand of accounts on the commercial use of some stool lands under the Vakpo Traditional Council.
The group in an address to the media after the demonstration said all attempts to get the Vakpo traditional council to render accounts on its stewardship have proven futile.
In a petition written to the Vakpo traditional council, copied to the Volta Regional House of Chiefs and sighted by Citi News, the youth group demanded accounts for the lease of stool lands to commercial farmers.
The youth group also demanded the formation of an independent committee to undertake the demarcation and leasing of stool lands.
“We are only asking for a committee to be constituted to manage the demarcation and lease of stool lands and also for the committee to account to the community monies accrued from the lease. The community needs many facilities and we cannot let just one person or a few people enjoy the proceeds of the lease of stool lands that our great grandfathers fought for,” Prince Adjei, convener of the youth group said.
Some indigenes who spoke to Citi News indicated that stool lands which hitherto was cultivated on subsistence farming were taken from them with their crops destroyed and the lands awarded in a concession to one Alphonse Farms.
“I had over 100 oil palm trees which were all felled without prior notice. I just got there and saw people felling the palm. I was devastated. I will not agree to this. I will take my money from the chief and his people. This is not how to run a town. Less than a year after my father’s demise, they just got into the farm and destroyed everything with an explanation that cashew farmers are coming to use the land. This is unacceptable,” the visibly frustrated Kofi Owusu told Citi News.
“I also had over an acre of ginger farm which was all scrapped of using tractors without prior notice nor compensation. Now we don’t have any land to cultivate for food and we don’t even know what the proceeds from the land lease are being used for,” another indigene, Mark Agbledze told Citi News.
The group’s convener, Prince Adjei assured that they will “continue to abide by the laws of the country (Ghana) in demanding accounts from our leaders,” but they will not relent on “demanding accounts from their leaders.
“If this move fails, we will decide on our next step of action” Prince further indicated.