Nzema Chiefs Fight Over Injunction On Ghana Gas Project

Information reaching the desk of infoghana reveals that there is heavy misunderstanding between the Paramount Chief of Atuabo, Awulae Amihere Kpanyinle III and the overlord of Eastern Nzemaland (which stretches from Ellembelle to Jomoro Districts) King Kaku Aka over the pending injunction on the Ghana Gas. The injunction saga which has currently brought to a halt of all activities of the project came about due to the company's inability to fulfill it obligation. The move by Awulae Amihere Kpayinle nearly resulted in a clash between two factions during a meeting held last weekend where some within the area termed it as anti-development strategy to stampede the Gas project from being completed to serve the national interest. Meanwhile, the Overlord of Nzema land,King Kaku Aka III, who vehemently disagreed with his sub-chief has prayed the Sekondi high court to as a matter of urgency and immediacy, lift the injunction on the Ghana Gas project since it will slow the pace of development in the area and the nation at large. He noted that the issue has assumed a national dimension and therefore implored the judge adjudicating on the matter to ensure that the national interest overrides individual parochial interest. According to him,the project at Adoabo is a source of employment to the youth especially those in the Gas enclave and will also generate enough gas to power the nation and halt power outages hence, the injunction is bound to deny them of their livelihoods and affect business. King Kaku Aka was addressing a joint news conference with the chief of Anokyi and the Abusuakpanyinli of Adoabo,Nana Bazekpole at Awiaso in the Ellembelle District. At the news conference,King Kaku Aka stated categorically that after flipping through the archives,the land in contention does not belong to Omanhene Amihere Kpanyinli. According to the chief of Anokyi,Nana Anokyi the fourth, Ghana Gas took his land so he wrote to them on April 10,2012 that where the project is situated,is not only for Adoabo and served them a reminder on March 07,2013. However,on March 15,2013,the Asamangamah family of Adoabo also gave a reminder to the Ghana Gas company reminding them that they have a stake in the land since the chief of Anokyi and the Asamangamah family of Adoabo have been transacting common business with Ghana Gas on that land. On June 05,2013,Ghana Gas responded to the letter and later met the two families;the Ezohile family of Anokyi and the Asamangamah family of Adoabo. At the meeting,Ghana Gas decided to put the land in contention under valuation in order to compensate them appropriately until the injunction came. Pursuant to this,Nana Anokyi wrote to Ghana Gas that if Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli lay claim to the land,then he(Anokyi) will rather contend the case in court. With this development,the Sekondi High Court is to hear the case on July 04,2014 involving the three parties:Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli,the Chief of Anokyi and the Abusuakpanyinli of Adoabo to determine who owns the land. The chief is praying the court to quash the injunction on the land and allow Ghana Gas to continue with its work since it only shares boundary with the Asamangamah family of Adoabo and not with anybody. Abusuakpanyinli Bazekpole of Adoabo Asamangamah family said on May 05,2013,the Chief Executive Officer(CEO) of Ghana Gas,dr. George Sipa Yankey assured him in a meeting that they will be compensated after the land evaluation board had done its work. "It therefore came to me as a surprise when it was published in some media houses that Awulae Amihere Kpanyinli the third said the land is for the traditional council and has placed injunction on it',he wondered. He said his forebears came to Adoabo before Amihere Kpanyinli and also prayed the court to allow Ghana Gas to continue with its work.