News
Unknown gunmen takeover SSNIT lands at Koforidua
Residents of Old Estate SSNIT flats in Koforidua and its environs are living in fear.
This is because the area which is one of the communities in New Juaben North Municipality in the Eastern Region has of late been besieged by some persons wielding guns.
These unknown persons are suspected to be illegal private developers on 180- acre land belonging to the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT).
An incident occurred on Tuesday, 3rd May, 2022, at about 11:30 am when a resident heard some sporadic gun shots and had to run for cover in his bedroom suspecting that the gun shots were from armed robbers.
Giving an account to this reporter, the resident said he saw a black Land Cruiser, a white 4×4 and other vehicles at the place but fearing that the occupants might have been armed robbers; he did not come out for fear of his life.
The area in question has been turned into sand winning (business) place while others are also putting up huge mansions. It is believed the encroachers have been wielding guns to prevent people from confronting them on their nefarious activities.
However, if the encroachers are not checked immediately the unexpected may happen.An officer at the Eastern Regional SSNIT Office told this reporter that the land belonged to SSNIT which built 10 blocks containing 160 flats for workers in 1997.
He said the flats were allocated to various organisations to be shared among their workers but in 2005 SSNIT noticed that there were encroachers on some parts of the land and decided to secure it through the Land Commission.
He said, he heard that due to financial constraints SSNIT management decided to give part of the land to interested individuals for orderly development and a well planned suburb of Koforidua.
He noted that over 130 acres of the land were given out, remaining 50 acres for SSNIT. According to him, the remaining 50 acre land had been taken over by encroachers, sand winners and others hence the numerous problems in the area.
He said he had never heard of land guards or gun shots in the area until recently.
He appealed to SSNIT management to sit up before the unexpected happens.
The Eastern Regional SSNIT PRO, Royal Nii Krotey Donkor and the Estate Manager, Mr Denu confirmed SSNIT ownership of the encroached land and said the activities going on there and that management would soon take action. “This is all that we can say for now” they added.
From Samuel Opare Lartey, Koforidua.
A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour by the Bekwai Circuit Court for his role in a 2022 robbery at a mining site at Manso Akwasiso in the Ashanti South Region.
The convict, Dominic Ofori, also known as Fanta, was arrested on 16th February 2026 after years on the run. He pleaded guilty before the Bekwai Circuit Court to robbery contrary to Section 149 of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 Act 29, and was accordingly sentenced to 25 years imprisonment with hard labour.
On March 20, 2022, the Manso Adubia District Police received intelligence that a group of armed men from Manso Abodom were planning to attack a mining site at Manso Akwasiso to rob the owner of gold concentrate. Acting on the information, police mounted a coordinated operation and laid an ambush at the site.
At about 5:30 pm the same day, four-armed men arrived at the site, fired indiscriminately, and robbed the miners of their gold concentrate. The police team on surveillance intervened, resulting in an exchange of gunfire.
Three of the suspects, Abu Abubakar, Musah Latif, and Gideon Takyi, sustained gunshot wounds and were pronounced dead on arrival at St Martins Catholic Hospital at Agroyesum. Dominic Ofori escaped at the time but was later arrested and put before the court.
The Ashanti South Regional Police Command has assured the public of its continued commitment to combating violent crimes and bringing offenders to justice.
The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested 45-year-old Isaac Boafo, also known as “Duabo King,” for allegedly publishing false news intended to cause fear and panic.
Police said the arrest follows a viral TikTok video in which Boafo claimed that four officers at the Central Police Station in Kumasi engaged in inappropriate conduct with commercial sex workers during night patrols in Asafo.
Officers from the Police Intelligence Directorate (Ashanti Region) apprehended Boafo after receiving intelligence about the video.
During questioning, he admitted to creating the video to attract views and engagement online, and acknowledged that he could not prove the allegations.
Boafo also admitted making comments about the President of the Republic for content purposes and could not defend those statements.
He has been formally charged and is in detention as investigations continue.
The Ashanti Regional Police have warned the public against publishing or sharing false information on social media, noting that such acts can cause fear, panic, and damage reputations.
They said anyone found engaging in similar conduct will face legal action.
By: Jacob Aggrey
