The controversy surrounding COCOBOD CEO Randy Abbey’s alleged use of state security operatives to seize a private construction site in Tse Addo, Accra, has sparked intense debate. According to eyewitnesses, armed security personnel stormed the site at midnight, filling a dugout foundation with waste materials and obstructing further construction. This incident marks the eighth time Abbey has allegedly used state security to halt development works on the project, sparking concerns about abuse of power and threats to civil liberties.
Key Points:
– Allegations of Abuse of Power: Residents claim Abbey has used National Security operatives to intimidate private developers, with this being the eighth incident.
– Construction Site Seizure: The joint team of military personnel and National Security officers allegedly seized the site, obstructing construction work.
– Denial from COCOBOD: Lawyers for the owners of the property in question have dismissed media reports as false, stating that National Security officers were actually there to halt illegal construction that was causing damage to neighboring properties, including Abbey’s.
– Background of the Dispute: The property owners claim they were forcibly evicted from their land, and construction was being done by a notorious land guard, Poppy Osman, without permits. The National Security Secretariat intervened to stop the construction, which was allegedly damaging Abbey’s property and others in the area.
Reactions:
– Residents are outraged, describing the action as a blatant abuse of power and a threat to civil liberties.
– Some have warned that Abbey’s actions could negatively impact the NDC’s support in the area during upcoming elections.
– Efforts to contact Abbey for a response have been unsuccessful.
COCOBOD’s Role:
– Abbey has been vocal about issues affecting the cocoa sector, including the need for robust legislation to protect cocoa trees and concerns about financial mismanagement within COCOBOD.
– He has also expressed frustration about the institution’s involvement in road construction, which he believes detracts from its core mandate.
Story by: Ohemaa Adusi-Poku.
