Court declares Odai Ntow family as rightful owners of South West Kwabenya lands.
An Accra High Court has entered judgement in favour of the Odai Ntow family over the South West Kwabenya lands in Accra.
According to the court, the Odai Ntow family are the owners of the South West Kwabenya lands.
In a suit filed by Offei Kwaku Mante and substituted by Reverend Alexander Aryeequaye and Nii Amu Mante against the defendants, the plaintiffs in an amended statement of claims indicated that they are the rightful owners of the disputed land and have exercised ownership rights over them for years.
The case of the plaintiff is that he is the head and lawful representative of the Nii Appenteng family of Pokuase-Otublohum, and that his ancestor, Nii Kofi Appenteng, a warrior, hunter and a member of the Akwamu tribe together with his children settled at Pokuase around 1934 where he was granted a parcel of land measuring 416.88 acres upon which he built cottages and carried out his farming and hunting activities.
According to the Plaintiff, his ancestor named the area Ambuanda, adding that having been in effective possession and exercising overt acts of ownership, the Appenteng family in 1960 caused the land to be surveyed and in 1990, the family made a statutory declaration, declaring the Appenteng family as owners of the Ambuanda lands registered as land registry number 969/1993.
This, the plaintiffs said was the state of affairs until defendants started committing trespass on the subject land.
However, according to the first and fifth defendant’s family, represented by Moses Mensah, they were in possession of their lands without any challenge until 1904 when a dispute arose over the land.
The presiding judge, Justice Emmanuel Amo Yartey in his ruling said the plaintiff failed to provide enough proof of the acquisition of the land, adding that ” throughout the case, the plaintiff’s family claimed that the land in dispute was granted them by elders of pokuase but the law is that the proper person to prove the title of a grantee is the grantor, however surprisingly, the plaintiff failed to call any member of the said family in proof of their acquisition of their land.”
“The failure to call such material witnesses is clearly fatal to their case so per the totality of evidence led, it is my candid opinion that the plaintiffs failed to demonstrate that they are entitled to the reliefs they are seeking.
They also failed to identify boundaries of their land and also call material witnesses.”
All reliefs sought by the defendant, including an amount of GHC50,000.00 as damages, were granted by the court.
The Judge also ordered the lands commission to bring the judgement of the court to the notice of the affected persons for them to regularise their stay on the land with the defendants.
“Should the affected persons fail to atone tenancy, the defendants are at liberty to recover the said land,” Justice Amo Yartey added.
By Alfred Nii Arday Ankrah
The New Times Corporation (NTC) on Monday held its annual thanksgiving service, bringing together staff and management to reflect on the past year, express gratitude, and renew their commitment to the organisation’s growth.
At the service, the Deputy Chairperson of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) and a Board Member of the New Times Corporation (NTC), Madam Charity Binka, called for strong and intentional collaboration among staff, emphasising that unity and teamwork were crucial to transforming the corporation during its challenging times.
“This is a time to break silos, share ideas and work together as one team with a shared vision,” she said, adding that innovation and digital transformation must be embraced to secure NTC’s future.
Madam Binka expressed gratitude to God for sustaining the corporation and its employees despite financial and operational difficulties.
“Though the journey has not been smooth, God has sustained us. We are here today because of His grace,” she indicated, acknowledging the resilience and dedication of staff who have kept The Ghanaian Times and The Spectator among the country’s most respected newspapers.
Quoting Jeremiah 29:11, she encouraged staff to remain hopeful and confident that brighter days lie ahead.
Delivering the sermon, Rev. John Akorli of Word Divine International Ministry at Sukura, Accra, cautioned staff against excessive talking and gossip, warning that careless speech could create unnecessary problems.
Rev. Akorli further reminded staff that their identity should not be defined by past mistakes, family background, or negative labels.
He encouraged them to live confidently, depend on God’s guidance, and remain focused on their responsibilities, noting that spiritual awareness and discipline were essential to personal and organisational growth.
The service ended with prayers for unity, renewal, and a prosperous new chapter for the New Times Corporation.
By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu
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The Catholic Bishop of the Koforidua Diocese, Bishop Joseph Afrifa Agyekum, has expressed concern over the rising rate of divorce in the country, attributing the trend largely to inadequate knowledge about marriage and misplaced expectations of couples.
He said many marriages were collapsing because couples entered into the union without a clear understanding of the responsibilities, sacrifices and commitments that marriage demands.
The Bishop raised the concern while addressing congregants at the 50th anniversary of the Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church at Madina on Sunday.
According to him, marriage was increasingly being viewed through unrealistic lenses shaped by social media, peer pressure and material expectations, rather than mutual respect, patience and shared values.
“Many people go into marriage with expectations that are not grounded in reality. When those expectations are not met, conflict sets in and eventually leads to separation or divorce,” he observed.
The Bishop noted that some couples lacked proper preparation before marriage, adding that pre-marital counselling was often treated as a formality rather than an opportunity to gain deeper insight into marital life.
He stressed the need for churches, families and society to intensify education on marriage, particularly among the youth, to help them make informed decisions before entering into marital unions.
The Bishop also urged married couples to embrace dialogue, forgiveness and understanding, saying disagreements were inevitable but could be resolved through patience and commitment.
He urged couples experiencing challenges to seek counselling instead of resorting to separation, emphasising that strong families remained the foundation of a stable and progressive society.
By Kennedy Afedzi
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