Chiefs within the enclave of the Ashanti Kingdom will have their titles stripped off if they employ the services of individuals who use threats or violence to protect lands under their care, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has warned.

The Asantehene gave the stern warning on Wednesday, November 5, at the Manhyia Palace when the newly appointed Ashanti Regional Police Commander, DCOP Arthur Osei Akoto, visited the palace. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II fumed at the actions of these land guards, adding that such conduct was against the traditional governance system of Asanteman.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II further called on individuals or chiefs involved in land disputes to seek amicable resolution through proper channels rather than resorting to violence or unauthorised security arrangements.

“I will destool any chief who engages the services of land guards. They know very well that they have no such authority. When those lands were entrusted to them upon their enstoolment, I never instructed them to hire land guards to protect them. I did not grant them the power to employ people to use guns and harm others.

“If you have any land disputes with anyone, bring it before me, and we will resolve it amicably, for peace to prevail,” the Asantehene said.

In July, the Asantehene issued a similar warning, declaring his readiness to destool any chief found harbouring or condoning the illegal activities of land guards within their jurisdictions. The Asantehene’s declaration came during the first Asanteman Council meeting following the culmination of the Silver Jubilee celebrations at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Thursday, July 4, 2024.

Addressing the gathering, Otumfuo highlighted the alarming emergence of land guards in Asanteman, a phenomenon previously uncommon in the region. “A practice that didn’t have any place in Asanteman has started gaining roots — land guards,” Otumfuo remarked, expressing deep concern over the growing presence of these illegal operatives involved in land disputes. He disclosed that a committee comprising security agencies had been established to investigate and root out this unlawful practice.

The Asantehene minced no words in his threat, stating, “The police and the military will inform me about the locations where these practices are occurring. Any chief implicated in the report will face destoolment. Let us await the findings of the committee.”

Emphasizing the sanctity of land and the traditional methods for resolving disputes, Otumfuo questioned the necessity of resorting to land guards. “Lands do not move and cannot be taken anywhere. When I allocated land to you, I did not authorize the use of land guards,” he affirmed, underscoring the traditional principles guiding land ownership and dispute resolution in Asanteman.

In addition to addressing the menace of land guards, Otumfuo also touched on the issue of illegal mining within Asanteman, pointing out that some traditional leaders are complicit in these illicit activities. He pledged to investigate any chief implicated in reports of illegal mining and vowed swift destoolment for those found guilty.

The Asanteman Council, comprising traditional leaders and stakeholders, has expressed support for Otumfuo’s measures to safeguard the region against these emerging security threats. The Ashanti Regional Security Council has previously acknowledged the historical absence of land guards in the region due to the effective stewardship of stool lands vested in Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and his chiefs.

They reiterated the importance of utilizing accepted channels for resolving land disputes and called upon all parties involved to adhere to established protocols.

Ghana’s Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), governs all categories of land—customary, public, and private—and aims to streamline land administration, reduce disputes, and enhance tenure security. The Act codifies various land interests, including allodial title, customary freehold, leasehold, and usufructuary rights, while also introducing reforms such as electronic conveyancing and protections for spousal property rights.

In 2024, the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC) advised individuals to follow legal procedures to settle their land issues. The ARCC emphasized that those who engage the services of land guards will face severe consequences.

In a statement, it wrote, “Any person found to engage the services of land guards will be apprehended, prosecuted, and arraigned before court.” The Council also warned that the land guards themselves would not be spared and would face the full force of the law.

The ARCC stressed the importance of using appropriate legal channels to address land disputes, noting that the activities of land guards often result in violence and pose a threat to law-abiding citizens.

“Based on this fact, the Ashanti Regional Security Council requests all citizens in the region to use the right procedures to address their land disputes rather than employ the use of land guards, whose activities always threaten law-abiding citizens and result in violence,” the statement read.

The Council urged the public to adhere strictly to this directive to ensure peace and stability in the region.

“It is the expectation of the Regional Security Council that the public will accept the above directives for strict compliance to ensure peace in the region,” the ARCC concluded.

The rule of law in some communities in the country has been sidelined when it comes to land disputes. Land guards are often contracted by individuals who do not believe in the legal system or who seek to capture lands belonging to others. These land guards frequently inflict pain on individuals and, in some cases, push them to their early graves. The Police Service is working assiduously to nip the activities of land guards in the bud.