[ 2016-06-17 ]

Armed Police storm building to eject COCOBOD staff
Heavily armed Police officers Friday stormed the
COCOBOD staff house in Koforidua in the Eastern
region ejecting occupants of the building.

The occupants who are mainly staff of COCOBOD are
being ejected rendering them homeless at a time
most of the workers are on outside duty.

The armed police officers stormed the premises
Friday dawn with a bailiff to demand that the
staff and their family members move out of the
premises.

The building has been occupied by COCOBOD since
1960 and was converted into a staff house when
COCOBOD relocated its regional office to a new
building.

Information gathered indicate that a Private
developer, Joseph Okyere, manager of Antartic
Construction has purchased the property to
construct a shopping mall.

The staff and other occupants of the building
were ordered by the Koforidua High Court to vacate
from the premises but they failed to do so.

A notice letter cited by Starr News dated
12/2/2016 and signed by the lawyer for the private
developer, Isaac M. Larbi read "on the 8th of
December, 2015 my office wrote a letter to you
regarding the above subject matter (Notice to
Vacate Premises) for and on behalf of my client
(Mr. Joseph Kwasi Okyere A.K.A Antartic) who is
now the owner of the entire building out of which
you occupy and operate your office/business.

“This is to remind you that, the two months’
notice to quit the premises is still running and
would end on the 10th of February 2016.

“We believe that you are feverishly looking for
a place if you have not already found one. You
have less than a month to vacate the premises and
we believe that, you would comply with our request
in order not to escalate this matter".

But a document produced by the Eastern regional
office of the Lands Commission and signed by Mr.
Osei Owusu Peprah, Assistant Lands Officer
suggests that, the property belongs to PZ Cussons
Ghana and not COCOBOD.

"The site is not a state Land but vested in the
President of Ghana in trust for the New Juaben
Stool by virtue of Executive Instrument No.195
dated 1st November 1961. The site falls within a
deeds of assignment dated 6th May, 1957 and made
between PZ&Co Ltd as Assignor and PZ &Co. Ghana
Ltd as Assignee. Accra document No.B 488 refers"

However, many suspect foul play in the deal. The
suit filed in Court did not cite COCOBOD Company
as occupants of the building instead cited the
occupants as squatters.

COCOBOD, few months ago, filed a stay of
execution at a Koforidua High Court to challenge
the Court ruling.

The Eastern regional President of the Ghana Cocoa
Coffee Shea-Nut Farmers Association, Nana Obeng
Akrofi told Starr News that "the deal smells [of]
corruption and rot".

He added that the association has its office
located in the building in contention.

According to him, the Association has petitioned
COCOBOD to take immediate steps to halt the deal
since the building is a bonafide property of the
Cocoa Marketing Board, (CMB), under COCOBOD since
1960.

He threatened to organize thousands of cocoa
farmers to stage a massive demonstration in
Koforidua against the sale of the COCOBOD’s
assets to Antartic Construction Company Limited if
the deal is not halted.

Source - Starrfmonline.com

... go Back