PROPERTIES IN ADVERSE OCCUPATION OF OUR LANDS

The term "adverse occupancy" refers to those people who currently are attempting to build or construct structures on our land without buying from us as the true legal owners of the land. The fact that some have put up boundary walls or even completed housing or other commercial structures on the land does not give them the rights to own the land. They are on the land without legal protection as "owners" or "bona fide purchasers of value." There is also a long established legal principle often stated in latin as "quic quid practitur celo celo sedit" which translates to mean that anything that is fixed to land belongs to the land. This principle means that if you build a house on our lands, you will lose it because the house would eventually become our property not yours!

 Some people have bought parts or sections of our land from fraudulent persons who presented themselves to be chiefs or allodial land owners in Prampram. In our view, those who have been defrauded in this way have only themselves to blame. The Government of Ghana operates a land registration system and there are laws and rules that govern the sale or disposal of land. Most have bought our lands without first checking with the Ghana Lands Commission to ascertain the legal owner 

Our initial reaction to this question is NO! The law says "caveat emptor," which is loosely translated to mean "buyer beware." It is the responsibility of anyone buying land to make sure that they are buying genuine land. However, we are taking the view for the moment that if any person is in adverse occupancy of our lands, they should come up now and say this. If they want to be considered for eventual purchase of such lands from us, they should comply with our procedures, and complete the appropriate form for securing land already in adverse occupancy. Those who are in this category must do this now otherwise we may withdraw this offer and treat all such cases as we may deem fit!

For those in adverse occupancy of land belonging to the Boye-Thompson Estate, the following procedures must be followed;

1. Complete the appropriate application form

2. Pay the appropriate processing fee

3. Bring proof of payment to our offices

We have tried several times to contact those who are trying to put up structures on our land, some have cooperated with us to regularise their occupation but most have not, claiming that they have a right to occupy our land even though they now know that the person or persons who sold the land to them are not the registered owners or title holders to the said land. At the moment, we are in court with one of the most notorious fraudster who has been claiming that he owns this land and that because he is a member of the chieftaincy in Prampram, he has a right to sell our land. Those who acquire our lands from such persons are at risk of losing their money and any property they have erected on our lands. For those who have it in mind that they will come to buy the lands from us after the court case has been determined, they will be disappointed that at such a time, we may not be minded to allow for anyone to acquire our land by attorning for tenancy because their current occupancy of our land is derived from fraud. These people have been warned!

Please click on the button below to be taken to the adverse occupancy application form. Note that if you are already on our lands, you cannot acquire it legally without going through this process.