The Western Nzema Traditional Council has firmly rejected claims that lands earmarked for Ghana’s flagship Petroleum Hub project are family-owned, stressing that the lands in question are Stool lands held in trust for the people.
Speaking during the official visit of the Chief Executive Officer of the Petroleum Hub Development Corporation (PHDC), Dr. Toni Aubynn, and his team to Jomoro Municipality on Friday, the Council clarified that the lands belong to the Stools and not individual families, as suggested by a section of the public opposing the project.
Delivering a message on behalf of Awulae Annor Adjaye III, President of the Western Nzema Traditional Council, Nana Avo Nwia, Chief of Tikobo Number 2 and a member of the Council’s Standing Committee, described the opposition claims as misleading and unhelpful to national development.
“We want to set the record straight: these lands are under the authority of our Stools and are held in trust for the people of Nzema. They are not family properties. Any assertion to the contrary is factually incorrect and only seeks to create confusion,” he emphasized.
The clarification comes amid growing public interest in the Petroleum Hub project, which is expected to transform Ghana’s energy sector, attract billions in investment, and create thousands of jobs—particularly for residents in the Western Region.
Nana Avo Nwia reaffirmed the Traditional Council’s support for the project and expressed confidence in the leadership of Dr. Aubynn and the PHDC team to ensure the realization of this transformative initiative. He urged all stakeholders to unite behind the project and refrain from peddling misinformation that could derail its progress.
Dr. Toni Aubynn, in his remarks, welcomed the Council’s endorsement and reiterated PHDC’s commitment to full stakeholder engagement and local participation. He assured the chiefs and people of Jomoro that the Corporation was working diligently to secure funding for compensation and skills development to ensure that residents benefit directly from the project.
“Our visit here is to reaffirm our commitment and build trust with the people of Nzema. The Petroleum Hub will not only position Ghana as a strategic energy hub in Africa but also bring long-term socio-economic benefits to communities like Jomoro,” Dr. Aubynn stated.
The Petroleum Hub project is a key pillar of President John Dramani Mahama’s industrialization agenda and is expected to include refineries, petrochemical plants, and associated infrastructure.
What are Stool Lands?
According to section 281 of the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), land is defined as to include the solid surface of the earth, trees and other vegetation, a part of the earth surface covered by water, any house or structure whatsoever, and any interest or right in, to or over immovable property. Land therefore is made up of the land itself, waters that are found below and above it as well as all artificial and natural things in which a person has rights over lawfully. There is a legal presumption that the owner of the land also owns everything found on it. In Ghana, land can be held by the state, stool, family or an individual (includes companies). Stool land is defined under Article 295(1) of the 1992 Constitution
as includes any land or interest in, or right over, any land controlled by a stool or skin, the head of a community or the captain of a company, for the benefit of the subjects of that stool or the members of that community or company.
The constitution under Article 267(1) mandates all stool lands in Ghana vest in the appropriate stool on behalf of and in trust for the subjects of the stool in accordance with customary law and usage. A stool land is managed by the occupant of the stool (the chief) for and on behalf the subjects of that stool. A chief in charge of the management of stool land is fiduciarily charged with the obligation to discharge the management function for the benefit of the subjects of the stool. A fiduciary duty is a legal obligation where one party (the fiduciary) is required to act in the best interests of another (the beneficiary) in a matter of trust and confidence. In the case of Allottey v Abraham (1957) 3 W.A.L.R 280 the court stated that,
the general rule for a valid alienation of stool land is made by the occupant of the stool with the consent and concurrence of the principal elders of the stool.
A stool is considered as a body corporate, which means it has a legal personality. It can sue and sued. It is only the occupant of the stool who can sue and be sued on behalf of the stool.
In conclusion, stool lands are lands held by the occupant of the stool in trust of the subjects. In the management of the stool the chief must act in the best interest of the subject.
-https://www.myjoyonline.com/western-nzema-lands-are-stool-lands-not-family-owned-traditional-council-refutes-opposition-to-petroleum-hub-project/
