Akyem Ayisikrom: Landguard Kills Farmer Amid Land Dispute
The fatal clash over ancestral farmland sparks outrage as 7,000 acres of crops are destroyed, leaving peasant farmers in despair
- 27-year-old farmer Theophilus Della Tugba was shot dead during a land dispute at Akyem Ayisikrom
- Over 7,000 acres of crops, including cocoa and plantains, were destroyed by an estate developer
- Farmers allege ancestral lands were sold without consent
A 27-year-old farmer, Theophilus Della Tugba, was tragically shot and killed by a suspected landguard at Akyem Ayisikrom in the Upper West Akyem District of the Eastern Region.
The fatal incident reportedly occurred during a confrontation over ancestral farmland allegedly sold by the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council to a private developer.
The land, which has sustained the local community for generations, became a flashpoint for resistance as peasant farmers tried to stop the takeover.
Aggrieved farmers, at a press conference, revealed that over 7,000 acres of crops—cocoa, palm fruits, pawpaw, oranges, plantains, cassava, and cocoyams—were destroyed in the process. Many fear for their livelihoods as they face forced evictions.
Benet Kwasi Adu, President of the West Akyem Cooperative Cocoa Farmers Association, also raised alarm over the destruction of cocoa farms, pointing to galamsey, rubber plantations, and sand mining as additional threats to their survival.
He urged authorities to intervene swiftly to protect both the farmers and the nation’s cocoa resources.
The farmers have appealed for immediate government action to address the land crisis and provide support in their dire situation.
