The Paramount Chief of Wenchi Traditional Area, Osagyefo Ampem Anye Amoampong Tabrako III, has cautioned encroachers on government-acquired lands to vacate them or face eviction.

"Under my watch, the traditional council would not allow encroachers to take over government lands meant for agriculture and other development purposes," he reiterated.

He mentioned areas where encroachment has been pervasive, such as the former Wenchi Tomato Factory (TOMACAN) land, the Wenchi Animal Husbandry land, Akrobi Irrigation land, and Wenchi Agricultural College land.

"The traditional council has now established a stool lands secretariat to deal with land issues, so I will entreat those who want to acquire parcels of land to go to the secretariat for proper documentation," Osagyefo Tabrako said.

He further urged the inhabitants to stop dealing with the Town and Country Planning Department for land acquisition.

"The Town and Country Planning Department has no power to release any piece of land, and even the Wenchi Municipal Assembly cannot do that because they don't own land, the traditional council that owns Wenchi land,” he stressed.

Osagyefo Tabrako further cautioned officials of the Town and Country Planning Department and the Wenchi Municipal Assembly to stop what he termed “illegal rezoning" of Wenchi without delay.

His warning comes after some residents of Wenchi have registered their intention to sue the Wenchi Municipal Director of the Town and Country Planning Department for illegally allocating portions of a 100-feet road as building plots to individuals.

The group, led by one William Brown, had intended to take legal action against the Town and Country Planning Officer to ensure justice and fairness in land administration within the Wenchi Municipality.

The Paramount Chief confirmed one of the group's allegations that there was no stakeholder engagement concerning the rezoning of Wenchi, admonishing the Town and Country Planning Department officials to halt the alleged unlawful rezoning immediately.

"Our new stool land secretariat has just started working, and they will gradually reverse any unauthorised sale of parcels of land within my jurisdiction, and they will do it according to our rules and regulations, considering the law on land administration," Osagyefo Tabrako emphasised.