28 August 2008
editorial
It has now become common to see security men, particularly the police supervising the demolition of illegal or unauthorised structures in the country. These demolitions are usually carried out as a result of court orders when the owners of such structures are found to have illegally acquired the land, therefore the police cannot be blamed for carrying out their constitutional duties.
The haphazard nature of land ownership and acquisition has given rise to a plethora of litigations over land in the country. One of the beautiful things about democracy is the phenomenon about the rule of law. Anybody dissatisfied with anything can go to the courts to seek redress. It is based on this that our courts have been inundated with so many land related cases. The courts after going through some of these cases give orders for the demolition of such unauthourised buildings or structures, and this The Chronicle does not intended to challenge.
The Chronicle is, however, worried about the way people purchase landed properties and develop them without going through due process. For instance, before any potential buyer should commit him\herself to any land transaction, a search must be made at the Lands Commission to verify whether the land is really free for sale. A lot of people do not avail themselves to this simple procedure only to allow themselves to be swindled by unscrupulous Chiefs.
Putting up a Building is a lifetime project where a lot of money, effort and time are invested. Therefore, for the building structure to be pulled down after completion because the land owner bought the land from the wrong person must be a very painful experience. This is the reason why potential land buyers must do all the necessary checks at the right places before finally starting the actual building process. Some developers also build on disputed lands despite warnings for them to stop work. This is because of the wrong perception that after the building had been put up the authourities would find it difficult to demolish their structures.
Our heart goes out to the affected people at Inglesi Amanfrom, where hundreds of buildings were pulled down. This should serve as a lesson to Ghanaians to follow due process of land acquisition and development.
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