Growing public concern over alleged abuse of political power took centre stage at Nungua over the weekend, as angry youth and traditional leaders staged a protest against what they described as an attempt by Alfred Mahama, brother of President John Dramani Mahama, to forcibly take over disputed stool lands under the cover of political influence.
The demonstrators, supported by two prominent Wulomei and other traditional authorities, marched to a large tract of land currently under litigation at the Tema High Couart, accusing Mr. Mahama and his alleged collaborators — including Trasacco, the Okpelor Sowah Din family of Teshie, and a businessman identified as Baba Sule — of deliberately defying the courts because of their proximity to political power.
According to the protesters, the disputed land is the subject of an active court case, with injunctions in place to prevent any development. However, they insist that construction activities have continued unabated, allegedly emboldened by Alfred Mahama’s relationship with the President.
Chanting protest songs and performing traditional rites, the Oofu Wulomo, Numo Agbee and several Asafoatsemei poured libation at the site, invoking curses on what they described as “politically connected land grabbers” and local collaborators who, for financial gain, are aiding outsiders to dispossess the people of Nungua of their ancestral lands.
Speaking to the media, a representative of the Nungua Stool, Leslie Borquaye, said the protest was intended to draw national attention to what he termed a dangerous trend where political influence is being used to override the authority of the courts and trample on the rights of ordinary citizens.
“This land matter is before a court, so no individual, regardless of their status or political connections, has the right to touch it,” he stated. “Yet we are witnessing the President’s own brother and his associates acting with impunity, as if the law does not apply to them.”
Mr. Borquaye alleged that the group recently received information that Trasacco, with the backing of land guards and security personnel believed to be from the police and national security, had returned to the site to continue development.
“We had to rush here to stop this unacceptable conduct,” he said. “The people you see here voted massively for President Mahama because they believed in his message of good governance and respect for the rule of law. It is therefore painful that his own brother is being mentioned as leading the charge to dispossess them of their land.”
He appealed directly to the President to intervene and restrain his brother, warning that failure to act could deepen perceptions that political power is being used to shield private interests at the expense of justice.
“We are pleading with the President to call his brother and the others to order,” Borquaye added. “We are also putting the Inspector-General of Police on notice to ensure his officers are not used as tools in private land disputes.”
The incident has reignited debate over political interference in land administration and the wider question of whether powerful individuals connected to government are being allowed to operate above the law, even when fundamental property rights of local communities are at stake.
