More than 700 farmers in Agona Kwesi Twikrom, a town in Ghana's Central region, have lost their livelihood after an investor cleared 250 acres of their farmland using bulldozers. The land, which had a variety of crops including cocoa, coconut, oranges, palm trees, cassava, maize, garden eggs, and pepper, was destroyed without the farmers' consent. The farmers claim that the investor, who plans to plant pineapples on the land, used macho land guards dressed in full military uniforms to protect the bulldozers.
The destruction of the farm has thrown the town into a state of shock and dismay, with many farmers left without a source of income. The farmers solely relied on their farm produce for living, and the destruction has made life unbearable for them. According to Mr. Albert Quainoo, a former Assemblyman for the area, an 82-year-old woman, Madam Efua Yamoawaa, died out of shock when she heard that her coconut plantation had been destroyed.
The farmers claim that two family members, Messrs Yaw Nkum and Yaw Fosu, sold the land to the investor without the consent of the entire family. The farmers had sent an emergency report to the Agona Swedru Divisional CID office of the Ghana police Service, but they failed to respond. Instead, the CID officers allegedly prevented the farmers and elders of Yogo No 2 Family of Agona Asafo from stopping the destruction of their farms.
The farmers, through their spokesperson, have appealed to the Minister of Interior, the IGP, the Director General of National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), and other relevant agencies under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to investigate the matter and ensure that justice is done and appropriate compensations paid to the farmers. The farmers are seeking help to salvage their deteriorated conditions.
Some of the affected farmers, including Madam Ekua Sekyi, an 85-year-old widow, have appealed to President John Mahama to intervene. Madam Sekyi, who has lost her husband 50 years ago, had single-handedly catered for her children through the farms. She wept uncontrollably, saying she could not bear the thought of losing her source of income.
Another widow, Madam Efua Kyerewaa, said her five-acre palm plantation had been destroyed by the same people who cut down her three-acre palm crops three years ago. She called on President John Mahama to intervene, saying the cost of living had become unbearable for her and she could not pay her children's school fees.
The farmers are urging the authorities to act swiftly to help them. They believe that the government's intervention is necessary to prevent further destruction of their farms and to ensure that they receive fair compensation for their losses. The incident has highlighted the need for better protection of farmers' rights and more effective dispute resolution mechanisms in Ghana.
Key points
- The destruction of the 250-acre farm has left over 700 farmers without a source of income.
- The farmers claim that the land was sold to the investor without their consent.
- The farmers are seeking government intervention to investigate the matter and ensure that justice is done.
