‘We built a house for her’ – Bryan Acheampong denies forceful takeover of woman’s land

Abetifi MP, Bryan Acheampong, has denied claims by a woman that he has forcefully taken over her land in the Eastern region.

The woman, Asantewaa Grace, was seen in a video making the claims against the MP who is also a minister of state.

But in a statement, Bryan Acheampong, said the woman agreed to a relocation plan after a company, Kwahu Republic Company Ltd, offered to buy the land.

According to the MP, the area was to be used for an astro-turf.

Photo: Grace Asantewaa’s house would be sitting in the middle of the park.

Photo: Grace Asantewaa’s old house

The offer was made to two others who agreed to take money. But for Asantewaa Grace, she agreed to a complete building at a relocated site, the statement reads.

According to the MP, this was done for her. But she rejected it, claiming ‘juju’ had been planted under the building’s foundation.

Photo: The new house built for Grace Asantewaa.

 

 

Read full statement

FORECEFUL ACQUISITION OF ABETIFI LANDS BY BRYAN ACHEAMPONG

In 2018, I purchased a parcel of land on behalf of Kwahu Republic Company Ltd to construct an edifice to be known as the “Kwahu State House”. This land was located on the outskirts of the Abetifi Township.

During the construction, we saw the need to build an astro-turf park for the development of sports in Kwahu. There were three (3) persons, including Asantewaa Grace, who had different structures around the site. We spoke to all three of them on a possible buy-out. Two of them agreed to a buy-out whilst the third, Asantewaa Grace, proposed a relocation.

We, together with the Chiefs and officers from the Town and Country Planning had extensive discussions with her on the details of the relocation. She agreed to the terms of a relocation, and went further by going around with a team to scout for an alternate land. Finally, we settled on a piece of land in the middle of the Abetifi township.

We purchased the land and executed the documents in her name. We then designed a 4-bedroom house, all ensuite, with a modern kitchen, living room and balcony which was presented to her. She consented, and we proceeded to construct the house for her.

On completion of the shell of the building, we came back to her and discussed her preferred paint. We have since completed the building, connected it to the electricity grid and provisions have been made for water.

Based on the relocation agreement and subsequent act of choosing an alternate land, the Chiefs executed a plot allocation deed for her on the new land and further executed a site plan and plot allocation for Kwahu Republic to cover the area including hers. All this while, the Kwahu State House construction was going on in earnest.

We scheduled a date for the handing over of the house, only for her to decline the relocation, claiming that, we placed ‘juju’ in the foundation when we started the construction. She then offered to live in the middle of the property and be the official cleaner for the State House.

Per our official plot allocation and site plan, for her to access her house, she must use the Kwahu State House grounds as her foot path. There is no road demarcated officially to access that portion of the land.

Myself and Kwahu Republic have not and will not make an attempt to ‘take a poor woman’s’ house. Indeed, for fairness and equity to prevail, we constructively engaged her throughout the entire relocation process, the chiefs were officially informed and they executed a new plot allocation for her and with her consent.

As a matter of fact, all parties reached an agreement only for her to turn around and renege on her side of the agreement after we had completed our side of the agreement.

It is quite clear that someone is riding on her ignorance and illiteracy to settle a score with the chiefs of Abetifi and tarnish their reputation as well as mine. The Chiefs will not forcefully sell off the land of an indigene or a squatter. They re-allocated the land with her full consent.

This is the story as we know it. All in all, we believe the courts will settle this matter judiciously.