Gov’t to regularise properties of CSIR land encroachers

Government has decided to regularise all the properties occupying the 900-acre lands belonging to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and Animal Research Institute (CSIR-ARI) at Adentan-Frafraha in Accra.

The decision follows the demolition exercise that took place in the area to secure 200 acres of land after the squatters had built there without permission.

The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, disclosed this to the landlords occupying the 900- acre lands at a meeting in Accra yesterday.

Mr Quartey said the encroachment of the land compelled the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to conduct a demolition exercise to regain the fenced 200 acres of land.

“At least, 900 out of over 1000 acres of the land have been encroached with squatters living there for over 20 years,” he pointed out.

Mr Quartey warned that the regularisation of their documents should not be an encouragement to unscrupulous persons to further encroach on the state lands.

He urged the landlords in the area to show their documents to the appropriate authorities to enable government act expeditiously.

Land grab probe

Management of the CSIR-ARI commended REGSEC for taking a swift action for the demolition of the properties in the compound. Mr Quartey, however, indicated that the CSIR-ARI is poised to cooperate with the police in the investigation of some staff of the Institute for their alleged involvement in the sale of the lands to the encroachers.

The management said any staff found culpable in the act after the investigation would be made to face the full rigours of the law.

A representative of the squatters explained how they had occupied the lands for over 20 or more years, saying “we lived in fear of being evicted at any moment, having been in court with CSIR-ARI. We have been in and out of court, and at a point, we tried if we could have some sort of settlement with the CSIR-ARI”.

The squatters have hailed government’s decision to regularise their lands for them, saying they are now relived that they can live in comfort in the area.