Tensions have escalated in Mangoase as members of the Shai family clashed with the Ghana Railways Development Authority (GRDA) over a contentious land dispute, resulting in the demolition of signboards that indicated the GRDA’s claim to ownership.
The land in question is designated for churches, with the Shai family asserting their ownership, while the GRDA maintains that it rightfully owns the property.
This disagreement has intensified as the Shai family demands that the GRDA cease its claims to the land.
The GRDA has allocated portions of this land to various churches, including the Methodist Church Ghana, which plans to establish a Technical and Vocational School, as well as the Presbyterian Church of Ghana and Anglican Church, among others.
These developments have further fueled tensions between the two factions.
Nana Yoofi, the Kyidomhene of Mangoase, addressed the media regarding the situation, criticizing the Shai family’s actions.
He explained that under his understanding of land ownership laws, when a government entity intends to develop a piece of land but fails to do so, that land reverts to community ownership rather than individual claim.
“If a land is government property, the government can utilize it as it sees fit,” Nana Yoofi stated.
“When there are no activities on that land, it belongs to the community where it is located,” he added.
He urged the Shai family to clarify their claims by providing a statement regarding the demarcation of the land and demonstrating which areas they believe belong to them.