Property owners in East Legon Ajiireganor are expressing deep concern over the alarming activities of a woman known as Sarah Fokou, who has earned the nickname “Inspector General of Police” (IGP) for her alleged misuse of police officers to carry out illegal property seizures. Despite not owning any land or property in the area, Fokou is accused of leveraging her connections with the Ghana Police Service to forcibly take properties from rightful owners without proper documentation or court orders.
Sources claim that Fokou has been exploiting her self-proclaimed title to confiscate property documents from victims, yet she consistently fails to provide proof of ownership when questioned by authorities at the East Legon Police Station. This has left many property owners, including numerous foreign nationals, increasingly anxious as Fokou’s actions remain unchecked.
A significant concern raised by sources is the involvement of the Lands Title Secretariat, which is alleged to have erroneously issued land titles to individuals, including Fokou, who lack legitimate claims to the properties. These administrative errors have led to numerous disputes over ownership, leaving rightful owners vulnerable to illegal seizures.
“The Ghana Police Service appears to be complicit in these illegal land grabs, collaborating with this self-styled IGP to seize people’s properties without any legal justification,” stated a source familiar with the situation. Landlords in East Legon Ajiireganor, particularly those living abroad, fear returning to find their properties unlawfully taken.
The situation has raised serious questions about the integrity of the system. Reports suggest that Fokou’s activities are allegedly supported by influential figures, including the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Samuel Abu Jinapor, Captain (Rtd) Budu Koomson, Deputy IGP COP Tetteh Yohuno, John Boadu, and Chief Inspector Charles Twumasi of the Property Fraud Unit at Police Headquarters. This alleged collusion has heightened concerns among property owners regarding the legality of the seizures.
Many of the affected lands are said to be family-owned rather than government or Stool lands, contradicting Fokou’s claims of ownership. The events unfolding in East Legon Ajiireganor highlight a broader issue in Ghana, where illegal land takeovers frequently occur with minimal repercussions.
In 2007, former President John Agyekum Kufuor directed the return of government-acquired lands that were no longer in use to their original owners, yet this directive has not been adequately enforced.
Numo Senshie Trebi, identified as the rightful grantor of the East Legon Ajiireganor lands, has called for an immediate halt to the encroachment on private properties, warning that the situation will only deteriorate without intervention. He also dispelled rumors suggesting that the government was in the process of acquiring these lands, labeling such claims as unfounded.
Property owners in East Legon Ajiireganor are urgently appealing for intervention from authorities to address this growing crisis. They fear that if the situation remains unresolved, more individuals will lose their legally acquired lands and properties due to the support of corrupt officials and a malfunctioning system.
The Ghanaian government is urged to take swift action to prevent a complete breakdown of property rights and to restore faith in the legal framework governing land ownership in the country.
