The Ashanti Regional Security Council (ARSC) has issued a firm directive to residents of Kumasi and its environs, urging them to desist from employing land guards for resolving land disputes.
This comes amidst growing concerns about the rise in illegal activities by these armed groups.
In an official statement dated June 20, the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council (ARCC) emphasized the necessity of adhering to legal procedures when dealing with land issues. The ARCC underscored that hiring land guards would result in severe legal consequences.
“Any person found to engage the services of land guards will be apprehended, prosecuted, and arraigned before court,” the statement warned. Additionally, the Council noted that land guards would face stringent legal repercussions for their actions.
The ARSC highlighted the critical importance of utilizing legal channels for land dispute resolution, pointing out that the violent activities of land guards threaten the safety of law-abiding citizens.
“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 asserted.
The Council called for public compliance with this directive to maintain 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 ARSC stated.
In many communities, the rule of law is often bypassed in land disputes, with individuals resorting to hiring land guards. These groups are typically contracted by those who either lack faith in the legal system or seek to seize land unlawfully. The violent tactics of land guards often lead to severe injuries and fatalities among innocent individuals.
In response, the Police Service is intensifying efforts to curb the activities of land guards and enforce the rule of law. The ARSC’s directive is a critical step towards eradicating the menace of land guards and promoting lawful and peaceful resolution of land disputes in the Ashanti region.