The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey, has held a stakeholder engagement with the Chiefs and Wolomei of the Nungua Traditional Area on the state of the Ramsar encroached lands.
The meeting, involving the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, was necessary due to intelligence the Regional Security Council picked on the likelihood of imminent clashes between two feuding factions in the Borteyman enclave, particularly Top Kings Limited and Empire Builders.
Due to this, REGSEC has taken decisions on Security and Intelligence Agencies Act, 2020 (Act 1030), section 7 to ensure law and order.
To achieve that, Mr Henry said the entire area under dispute has been declared a security zone. He said effective Thursday, 16th February 2023, REGSEC has taken over the security of the area, adding that REGSEC would deploy security personnel to the area to ensure peace and calm.
The Minister said REGSEC was in no way challenging the decisions of the courts, interpreting the courts’ decisions as well as determining the actual owners of the land but those decisions have been taken because the situation has become a recipe for disaster and a cause for security concern in the Region.
He, therefore, appealed to the Media to be circumspect in their reportage not to inflame passions that might undermine the security of the area.
Addressing the council, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resource, Mr Abu Jinapor said the committee set up to look into the Ramsar encroachment is finalizing its report, noting that the core area of the Ramsar remain non-negotiable.
He reiterated that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources would continue to engage the Chiefs to ensure that as custodians of the lands, their interest is taken into consideration.
Edem Agblevor, ISD
