The ongoing
land grabbing saga in Sabga around the dip between Madam Patu Manyu and some
villagers of Sabga-Kedjem ketingo is fast going off hand. On Friday 28th
of November, 2014, the land commissions headed by the Do for Tuba, Alim Gary while
on the field to inspect the piece of the disputed chunk of Land were blocked
for several hours by the villagers from carrying out what they regarded as
doubtful and dubious mission on the part of the commission. It was after several
explanations and persuasion that the villagers were succumbed and allowed the
Land commission to move round the said piece of land.
The said piece
of land, which was duly acquired before now by Akumbo Martin on behalf of his
family bearing land title N0 6218, became under dispute when the title was
purportedly cancelled by the Minister of
State Property, Surveys and Land Tenure some months back in response to a
petition filed in by Madam Patu. The DO
in respect of the decision declared the land open for application, which madam
Patu hurriedly did and the villagers too. The land commission that came last
Friday therefore came on the behest Madam Patu for her to declare and demarcate
and declare the boundaries of the chunk of land she was applying for. In her
declarations, she refused to recognize the Fon of Kedjem-Ketingo as the
custodian of the said piece of land. This annoyed the representative of the Fon
who was present and made the villager to grow wild
Meanwhile, the
villagers who almost went wild and were threatening to rock the boat were
categorical, stating that madam Patu can only owned the piece of Land after all
of them most have been crushed. According to Akumbo Martin, “all of us will “hang”
here if this piece of land which my forefathers, and fathers farmed and passed
it to us is grabbed by Madam Patu because she has money and can influence
everybody.” Recalling how once he was called by Madam Patu, offered expensive wine
and food to lure him into selling the piece of land for a meager FCFA 3million,
Akumbo went hysteric. He told Madam Patu in her face to go to her native
village in Donga Mantung Division where there is no custodian to land.
Controversy
Though the
villagers were promised by the DO that the land commission would be coming on
the 3rd of December, this time on the behest of the villagers, they
were skeptical knowing full well how powerful the woman they are dealing with
is. They questioned if the commission would not go ahead to issue a land title
to Madam Patu and never come back again. The wondered what would become of them
and where would they farm and tap their palm wine which is the only source of
livelihood to them? The skepticism was furthermore buttressed by a document,
copy of which this reporter procured, which indicated that the commission had actually
come to “inspect, demarcate and recommend for temporary grants over a parcel of
national land of the second category by Tubah land consultative board.’ To
buttress this fact, four new pillars probably intended to be planted if the
villagers were not vigilant, aggressive and determined, were lying there around
the plot ready to be implanted.
As of now,
tension is heightened as the villagers have vowed not to cede and inch of their
land to whomever without due process both traditionally and legally as required
by the law. The impending drama in the area, according to observers, need to be
nipped in the bud else it would escalate into a tradegy.
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