The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II has moved to assert his authority as the custodian of all lands in the Ashanti Region.
According to Otumfuo, all lands in the Ashanti Region are his property and no one can lay claim to any portion.
He dared anyone who doubted his claim to go to court and contest the issue.
“Let me warn the communities, the chiefs and whoever, that, the lands are mine and you are just caretakers to those lands. There’s no family land here in Ashanti. No Abusuapanyin (head of the family) can claim the land belongs to him and therefore he has the right to alienate a portion of the university land.
“You can go to any court. Take it there. I am also sure there will be a judge there who will know that the constitution of Ashanti says that there is no family land in the Ashanti Region…get the lawyers to take you to court but I’ll get the court to overturn their decisions to affirm my authority on the lands here.”
Otumfuo issued the caution during the launch of the 70th anniversary celebration of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology on October 28, 2021.
Otumfuo who is the chancellor of the University warned sub-chiefs against encroaching on lands of the university.
Otumfuo said that any chief who is found to have engaged in such activities will face his wrath and will not be left off the hook.
“Let me use this platform to highlight a very disturbing development which has come to my attention in recent times. That is the encroachment of university (KNUST) lands. I condemn it in no uncertain terms and strongly send a note of caution to all those involved to desist from it or face my wrath.
“If not for nothing at all, let’s appreciate the foresight of our forepersons in seeing the vision through the lens of science and technology. When our fathers gave these vast lands, the university had only 200 students. Seventy years on, the university boasts of over 80,000 students.
“I dare say that 100 years on, the number of students will double or even triple, and every piece of land on this campus will be needed. Let no one perceive any unused land of the university today as waste,” he stated.
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