Chiefs, Residents Threaten Violence Over Alleged Forced Seizure of Lands by Koans Estate
Tensions are mounting in several communities within the Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region, as chiefs, residents, and farmers threaten to take up arms over what they describe as the illegal and forceful seizure of their lands by Koans Estates, a private real estate developer.
The affected communities — including Asantekrom, Ningbo Panpanso, Yaw Boame, Paulkrom, Shia Panpanso, Amponsahene, Govinakrom, and parts of Teacher Mante and Kyekyewere — accuse Koans Estates of unlawfully taking over more than 4,000 acres of land that serve as their source of livelihood and settlement.
According to the residents, the developer has not engaged in any formal land negotiations with chiefs or landowners. Instead, he is alleged to have deployed excavators to clear vast areas, destroying cocoa, cashew, cassava, plantain, and other cash and food crops.
Community leaders claim that Koans Estates has gone as far as registering their lands — including entire towns — in his name at the Lands Commission without their consent or authorization.
“Our livelihoods are being destroyed before our eyes,” one of the chiefs lamented. “This developer has taken over our lands with the claim that his political party is in power. We have court injunctions restraining him, but he continues to operate with the backing of police and land guards.”
Residents allege that despite active court injunctions on the disputed lands, Koans Estates has continued its development activities, supported by armed land guards and, surprisingly, officers from the Police Anti-Land Guards Unit.
Faced with what they describe as intimidation and lawlessness, the chiefs and residents are calling for urgent intervention from the government, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, National Security, and law enforcement agencies to prevent an outbreak of violence.
“We will defend our land with whatever we have — cutlasses, guns, or our lives — if this continues,” one farmer warned, emphasizing the community’s frustration over what they perceive as state-backed impunity.
The situation remains tense, with community members vowing to resist any further encroachment if authorities fail to act swiftly.
