Otumfuo Tackles Land Disputes Among Chiefs
The King of the Asante Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has identified means of land acquisition as the ultimate determinant of land ownership among traditional authorities.
The Asantehene addressed disputes over land ownership among chiefs in his jurisdiction.
“Before you lay claim to a land, you must first consider how you acquired it. You can’t just wake up and lay claim to a land,” the Asantehene stated during the last meeting of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs on December 19, 2025, while reviewing some activities of the House for the year.
This was in response to Nana Dwamena Akenten II, Offinsohene’s ownership claim to Mamponteng Dumanafo.
Otumfuo, while educating Nananom, said there are two means of acquisition: the permanent acquisition and the temporal acquisition.
The permanent acquisition comes from a declaration or allotment by an Asantehene.
“If a part of a land belonging to Juabenhene or Offinsohene is allotted to Adansihene, it becomes the permanent entitlement of the recipient, and so the former owner does not go back to lay claim to it as he ceases to own it at the declaration.”
In the case of a temporary acquisition, His Majesty explained that it arises from an agreement between chiefs.
“If previous chiefs of Bekwai and Adankragwa met and the former requested land for his people for sustenance, that doesn’t mean the land was gifted. It was requested, and in the process of time, Bekwaihene’s people cannot lay claim to it. We have to understand the dynamics.”
The King was quick to add that the owner of the land has no right to evict the settlers when he needs the land.
“If you want to demarcate the said land, you cant outrightly evict them from it because you own it. Imagine evicting the people of Bekwaihene after they have taken care of your land for years. That is unacceptable.”
The best approach, Otumfuo stated, is to discuss your plans with the current Bekwaihene and allocate a portion of that land to his people.
This is the acceptable approach, His Majesty noted, adding that modernization was creating the confusion that currently exists.
Meanwhile, the Asantehene assured Offinsohene of an amicable resolution.
Story by Hajara Fuseini
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