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The Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Mr Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has petitioned President John Dramani Mahama to return 632.20 acres of land belonging to the people of Adoagyiri, Ntoaso, Owuraku and Akwamu in the Eastern Region.

      The parcel of land was compulsorily acquired in 1977 by Executive Instrument (E.I) 31 for the cultivation of pineapple for the defunct Nsawam Cannery. But the land has not been used for the purpose it was acquired and has been leased to Carriedem Development Company Limited.

      The petition dated March 5, 2015 indicated that Carriedem Development Company Limited acquired the land without the knowledge and consent of the chiefs and people and the towns.

     It said no compensation was paid to any of the chiefs and elders of the towns.
     The petition said the land had been fallow for the past 38 years and had not been put to its intended use since the state acquired it.

     It said that prior to its acquisition; parts of the land were being used as cemeteries, royal mausoleum and settlements (cottages) for some inhabitants in the four towns

    The Petition said owing to the rapid rate of expansion of those four towns, there was the need for the State to release the parcel of land for further developments projects.

    It said some portions of the land had been utilized for schools, hotels, churches, residential houses among others and that the situation was a violation of the terms of the compulsory acquisition of the said land by the State.

    The petition said that another 135.54 acres of land covering the entire township of Ntoaso and Owuraku and a greater part of Adoagyiri had been leased out to the Eastern Region Lands Commission which in turn had leased it to Carriedem.
       According to the petition, on March 27, 2012, the citizens of the area petitioned the then President, John Evans Atta Mills, to release the land in question, after which the matter was referred to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
      It said while waiting for the directives and advice from the Minister, the land was leased to Carriedem for 50 years to their surprise.

   Carriedem, the petition said, paid “a paltry, wicked, unpardonable, unforgiving and unimaginable price of GHC 5 per acre of land" for the entire 770. 74 acres.

      It said the owner of Carriedem, former first lady Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings, registered the entire land within 18 days of the lease.   The petition said checks at the Lands Commission; Koforidua proved that the land that been leased out illegally to Mrs Rawlings and her company.

      It said the chiefs and people of Adoagyiri, Ntoaso, Owuraku, Akwamu and the four families of Ntoaso feel cheated and abused by the Eastern Region Lands Commission, Nana Konadu Agyeman - Rawlings and her company and the government of Ghana.

     “We, therefore, wish to petition the government that all efforts must be made to release the unused land back to us the rightful owners of the land”.