While the nation was celebrating farmers for their contribution to its development, farmers in Amanase were being deprived of their source of livelihood by a real estate company.
A video surfaced on social media where cocoa and citrus farms were being destroyed.
Further investigations revealed that, the said farmlands were destroyed by a Real Estate company Sikapong company Limited.
In an interview with the representative of Company, Mr. Samuel Twenboah-Kodua, he revealed that the company is responsible for grading the said land in the viral video claiming that the company acquired 40 acres of the said land at Amanase from Osagyefo Amoatia Ofori Panyin.
He said during the grading some elders came to stop him and his boys from working and asked them to provide documents to show that the land was given to them by the Okyehene.
Further checks revealed that the said land is under the custody of the Amanase Chief, Osaberima Asamoah Asare Ampofo.
In the devastating video shared on social media, a man was heard pleading with the family of the said land to ensure that the right thing was done as the name of Okyehene was being used by some unscrupulous individuals to snatch lands in the area.
According to the video, the said land belong to the junior brother of the Chief of Amanase, Osaberima Asamoah Asare Ampofo which is been used as cocoa and citrus farm and appealed to the Chiefs to ensure that the degradation of lands in Amanase is stopped.
He called on all to get involve in the fight against unlawful encroachment and destruction of farmlands which has become a daily activity in Amanase.
In a related development, a section of the farmers have accused Sikapong of not contacting them before embarking on the destruction of their crops.
According to them they were not engaged neither did they received any notice from the company.
The situation has left the farmers in agony as many of them have lost their source of livelihood due to what they described as an unlawful destruction of their crops.
Amanase is a farming community in the Ayensuano District of the Eastern Region which grows cassava and produce Gari in quantities.
The farmers revealed that a major challenge that needs urgent attention of the authorities is the rampant illegal Sand wining within the District which according to them is crippling production of food stuff in the town.
They further revealed that farm products such as cassava, Maize, tomatoes, cocoa among others that are been cultivated in the area will soon be in short supply due to the activities of the sand winners.
According to them a youth group always come to their farmlands at dawn with weapons and grading Machines to win sand illegally adding that several complains have been made to the Suhum and Coalter Police Commands and yet the illegal activities keep going on with impunity creating suspicions that the two Commands have been compromised.
They have therefore called on the Okyehene to come to their aid by calling those involve to order as his name is being used by the disgruntled elements to perpetrate such illegalities.
