Misunderstanding Breaks Out in Nakori Over Disputed Parcel of Land

A misunderstanding has broken out between residents of Nakori in the Wa Municipality and a private developer over a parcel of land near the Wa Municipal Office of the Electoral Commission.

Info Radio received information about the development on Sunday morning and, upon arrival at the site, gathered that a private developer was preparing to lay the foundation for a building project when some community members arrived and asked the workers to stop.

Speaking to Info Radio, the Unit Committee Chairman for the Nakori-Chansa Electoral Area, Abdulai Ibrahim, said the parcel of land was allocated to the Wa Municipal Assembly some years ago and, to the community's knowledge, remains under the Assembly's control.

He expressed concern that the size of the parcel, which he said originally comprised more than 20 plots, had been reducing over time as various development activities took place on it.

Mr Ibrahim said that when the community inquired about some of these developments, they were informed the projects did not belong to the Assembly. He noted that the Assembly had constructed the Wa Municipal Office of the Electoral Commission on a portion of the land, both as part of its commitment to the community and to help secure the remainder of the parcel.

He said the latest development prompted the Unit Committee to engage the private developer, after which the committee learned that the developer had not acquired the land from the Assembly. As a result, the committee asked the developer to suspend work pending clarification from the Assembly on the ownership and status of the land.

A landlord in Nakori, Adams Salifu, corroborated the account, saying the land was allocated to the Wa Municipal Assembly and, to his understanding, remains so. He said the community's efforts to halt what it considers unauthorised development on the land were aimed at protecting the parcel and preserving the existing understanding between the Assembly and the community.

Mr Salifu cautioned against the unauthorised sale or allocation of communal lands, particularly the parcel he said had been entrusted to the Assembly by the community.

Info Radio is making efforts to speak with the private developer and the Wa Municipal Assembly to obtain their respective positions on the matter.

Meanwhile, sources close to the community have alleged that some community members may have been involved in the purported allocation or sale of portions of the land. These claims have not been independently verified.