Dormaa Customary Land Secretariat cautions against use of land guards under new Land Act

The Administrator of the Dormaa Customary Land Secretariat in the Bono Region, Mr. Kofi Manu, has cautioned vigilante groups and bodybuilders, popularly known as machomen, to desist from serving as land guards. He stressed that the Land Act 2020 (Act 1036) criminalises such activities and prescribes severe penalties.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of a sensitisation forum at Chiraa in the Sunyani West Municipality, Mr. Manu explained that offenders risk a minimum jail term of five years and a maximum of 15 years if found guilty of acting as land guards. The forum, organised by the Secretariat, also sought to educate residents on its operations in line with Act 1036.

He advised potential land buyers and estate developers to consult the secretariat before acquiring land within the Dormaa Traditional Area, which covers Bomaa, Abesim, and Chiraa. He warned that multiple sales of land were becoming common due to increasing population pressure, and those who bypass the secretariat do so at their own risk. Farmers working on Dormaa stool lands, he added, have no authority to sell such lands, noting that the practice is a criminal offence under the Act and offenders could face imprisonment.

The Bono Regional Director of the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands, Mrs. Georgina Rockson, reminded land and property owners that paying ground rent is mandatory. She cautioned that defaulting on such payments constitutes an offence punishable by law and urged compliance.

Mr. Awuah Missah, Head of the Physical Planning Department at the Sunyani West Municipal Assembly, also warned the public against developing land without securing the required building permits. He explained that estate and land developers must satisfy certain conditions before putting up structures and emphasised that unauthorised buildings could be demolished.