The Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, has explained that allegations made against him of taking over lands of individuals for his personal gain were false.

He however stated that the lands had been taken for government development projects, for which compensation would be paid to the individuals affected before the commencement of work.

During a meeting organised by the farmers, with the Agriculture Minister, chiefs, and elders, he said the lands were being taken over by the government, and not for his personal property. He therefore called for peace and calm and also pledged to help resolve the dispute promptly.

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His explanation followed complaints by farmers at Kwahu Nkwatia accusing him and the chiefs of seizing their farmlands for a government-funded road project, which has since sparked widespread outrage and concern.

Mr Opare Nyarko, Convener of the farmers, early on told the GNA that over 400 farmers had been affected by the situation and the MP had been sending graders and excavators to destroy their farmlands without notice or due process. 

He specifically blamed the MP, traditional leaders, and prominent individuals in Kwahu, who he alleged were involved in “a selfish scheme to acquire their farms for development projects without compensation.”

Mr Opare alleged that several threats such as gunshots and harassment from people believed to be coming from the MP’s camp had been meted out to affected farmers when they visited their farms.

He alleged that most youth, the aged, physically challenged, widows and the poor were mostly into farming and were affected, adding that most of the lands at Kwahu Nkwatia had been sold by the elders and Chiefs of Kwahu Nkwatia to the MP, which have affected their livelihoods.

Being a farming community, they cultivate cocoa, oil palm, cassava, plantain, vegetables, cocoyam and that was what they depended on for a living, he said.

Mr Opare called on the government to come to support them to get back their lands or compensate them to establish other businesses to support themselves.