Nananom, GWCL, ECG, Town Planners, Lands Commission Responsible for Owabi Encroachment- Otumfuo
The Occupant of the Golden Stool, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has found that traditional authorities are not the only people complicit in the encroachment of the Owabi River, which supplies water to the Ashanti Region.
His Majesty observes that the Ghana Water Company Limited, Town and Country Planning, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and the Lands Commission have a hand in the disturbing development.
“Nananom are not the only ones to be blamed. Ghana Water is complicit, Town Planning, Lands Commission and Nananom,” Otumfuo said at a meeting of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs on December 19, 2025, in response to a petition from the Lands Commission over illegal sale of lands in the said area.
“The law has established a radius, prohibiting the development of settlements. Who permitted the facility that was built? Who connected the water to those houses? Which chief sold the land for the building? Who connected the light to that house?”
Otumfuo acknowledged the essence of the said area and the accompanying ban on settlement development over there.
“Trees were planted to protect the water. We claim to be civilised today, yet we have developed settlements there. Did the developer get up just like that to build? Or did a chief sell the land to him/her? Who is that chief, and why did he defy the ban to sell it? Which town planner also gave them the permit to build it?”
Otumfuo noted that the answers to these must be dug to make way for the necessary sanctions if the protection of the said river is a priority.
“There is a penalty. This is not a matter of coming to see Otumfuo. The truth must be laid bare. If we fail to confront the truth and act, the consequences will come back to haunt us in a few years.”
Meanwhile, the Registrar of the House was directed to summon Ghana Water Company Limited, Town Planners, Lands Commission and the ECG to answer how the settlements came about.
The Asantehene further urged Nananom to exercise prudence and caution in their actions.
“Nananom, we must be careful about this issue. If we allow people to stay near these rivers, we will experience water shortages in the next five to 10 years. We must be very careful.”
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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