KROBO CHIEF, 3 OTHERS IN COURT FOR ALLEDGED KIDNAPPING

Nene Agbau Narh III

A Divisional Chiefs of the Manya Krobo Traditional area, Nene Agbau Narh III, is standing trial together with three others in a Koforidua Circuit Court for an alledged act of kidnapping.

He is currently facing trial together with Mr. Peter Sedjordji Narh, Head of Popotia Limestone Land owners; Daniel Tetteh and Nartey alias Narh, all youth of the area who are additionally standing trial for abetment of crime.

Nene Agbau Narh, who is the Divisional Chief for the Djebiam Clan was arraigned before court on Thursday March 12, 2015 for purportedly kidnapping one Samuel Adjie Paditey, an agent of GHACEM, while the latter was on his usual reconnaissance and prospecting activities at the limestone-rich Popotia area, near Yonguase in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality of the Eastern Region.

Prior to this development, Mr. Paditey was said to have been invited together with the land owners to series of meetings, the last of which was held at the Manya Krobo Customary Lands Secretariat on Thursday February 5, 2015 and instructed by the Chiefs to cease all reconnaissance and prospecting activities since the area in question was not covered by the agreement between the parties.

A trustworthy source indicated that Mr. Paditey and his clients, Ghacem disregarded this directive and have been in active operations there. When on Friday February 20, 2015 the Chiefs had tipoff that Mr. Paditey had defied their directives and was illegally operating in the area in question, Nene Agbau Narh, then acting as the President of the Council dispatched some of his emissaries to summon the former to appear before them. While the messengers were returning from the site with the Mr. Paditey, the Oterkporlu Police had a hint of the issue and swiftly went in to take custody of Mr. Paditey.

He subsequently initiated legal action against Nene and his aides who were then hurled to court on Thursday March 12, 2015.

The four however narrowly escaped remand and were admitted to a GHC 15, 000 bail with two sureties each to reappear on Tuesday March 31, 2015.

Speaking in an interview, the Public Relation Officer (PRO) of the Manya Krobo Traditional Council, Nene Asada Ahor I, who doubles as the Chief of Akuse said, “The unfolding drama between the Council and Ghacem over Popotia is quite a surprise to us because the area is not part of what the Council and the Municipal Assembly legally allotted to Ghacem”. He however declined to comment on the substantive case, adding “We will advise ourselves accordingly after the court’s decision”.

Attempt to reach Mr. Paditey and his counsel for their side of the story yielded no result. 

GHACEM, MANYA KROBOS IN A LEGAL TUSSLE over limestone deposit

The story as captured in the November 1, 2014 edition of the Daily Graphic newspaper, pg 13

Ghacem Limited and the Manya Krobo Traditional Council (MKTC) have locked horns in a legal battle that threatens to further strain an already sour relationship between the two.

This follows the filing of a suit by Ghacem against the latter for what it describes as interference in its Popotia limestone concession covering an area of 93.16km2 (23, 021. 00 acres).

Nene Agbau Narh III, 1st Defendant & Ag. Prez. of the MKTC

The suit was filed at the Koforidua High Court against Nene Agbau Narh III, Divisional Chief of Djebiam, in his capacity as the acting President of the Traditional Council. Four others have also been sued including Mr. E. K. Sackitey, Coordinator of the Manya Krobo Customary Lands Secretariat; Mr. Annor Divine, Chairman of the Limestone Land Owners Association, Lawatt Quarries Company Limited, a local mining firm, as well as one Nene Okletey.

The plaintiff is seeking among others, an order of quia timet injunction to restrain the Traditional Council, Mr. Sackitey, Mr. Annor and Nene Okletey from interfering with their concession. It is also demanding a declaration that the mining activities of Lawatt Quarries, the fifth defendant, constitute trespass on its concession.

The current disagreement was sparked by meeting held on September 24, 2014 attended by representatives of Ghacem, the Traditional Council and other stakeholders including the Manya Krobo Customary Lands Secretariat, The Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly and youth groups. During the meeting, Nene Agbau Narh, then acting as the President of the Council ordered Ghacem to halt its operation in the Popotia application area as the various stakeholders still stood by their objection to the granting of that application.

Earlier, the council, in a letter dated September 17, 2014, conveyed to the Minerals Commission its decision ordering the plaintiff to cease operations in the Popotia application area until further notice.

The letter indicated, among others that Ghacem’s operation in those areas was illegal because all stakeholders including the Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly, the Traditional Council, Customary Lands Secretariat, landowners and other concerned groups objected to the issuance of reconnaissance license to Ghacem by the Minerals Commission as indicated in a letter from the Municipal Assembly dated October 15, 2010.

When contacted, Nene Agbau Narh III, the first defendant preferred to remain silent until the determination of the case.

Dr. George Dawson Amoah, Head of Strategy and Corp. Affairs, Ghacem

Dr. George Dawson-Amoah, Strategy and Corporate Affairs Director of Ghacem confirmed initiating the legal action and said “that was because the defendants were putting impediments in our way”.

In a related development, a Youth and Advocacy group in the area, Kloma Gbi, has expressed shock at the decision by Ghacem to initiate a court action against the traditional rulers of the community within which it derives its raw materials.

Ign. Philip Tetteh Padi, Commissioner of  Kloma Gbi

Commissioner of the group, Ing. Philip Tetteh Padi, said “though it is Ghacem’s legal right to initiate any such action when aggrieved, it would have been prudent exploring other alternatives to solve the issue, taking cognizance of the likely effect of the action”.

He declined to comment on the substantive issue except to say that as youth of the area, they were prepared to stand by their Chiefs in a situation like this especially looking at their side of the argument.

It would be recalled that Ghacem has been mining limestone in the area for the past ten years following the commissioning of the quarry at Odugblase in 2004 by the Ex-President John Agyekum Kuffour.

 Published: Saturday November 1, 2014, pg 13, Daily Graphic