The continuous encroachment on fertile agricultural land set aside for irrigation farming within the Weija enclave is not only threatening national food security and job creation but also fuelling tensions between farmers and private developers, the Weija Water Users Association has warned.
According to the association, some private developers, allegedly with the backing of certain public officials, have taken over portions of land reserved for the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) under the Weija Irrigation Project.
In a recent visit to the area by The Ghanaian Times, new buildings were observed springing up, most of them either at the lintel, roof, or foundation level. In addition, some of the buildings had been completed and fully inhabited.
It also came to light during the visit that only a handful of farmers were actively working on their farms, while several others were seen leaving the fields on bicycles. Tension in the community remains high amid reports that parts of the land have been registered in the name of a private developer.
In an exclusive interview with The Ghanaian Times, Nene Wayo, one of the farmers operating on the land, said that farmers, together with representatives of the real estate company, had met the Divisional Commander at the Weija Tuba Police Station. The meeting, he said, followed a referral by the Inspector-General of Police, Christian Yohuno, in a bid to help resolve the dispute.
He expressed concern over what he described as attempts by the private developers, allegedly supported by some public officials, to unlawfully take over parts of the irrigation land. He said about 300 registered and licensed farmers currently operate under the Weija Irrigation Project, producing tomatoes and other vegetables for buyers from across the country.
“For our economy to improve, the government must protect farmers by securing the irrigation lands from illegal sale,” he said.
The Weija Irrigation Project, supported by the Weija Dam, was initiated in the 1970s by the Government of Ghana to supply potable water to Accra, with irrigation farming as a key secondary objective. The irrigation scheme was formally established in 1983 by the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to promote year-round farming and strengthen food security.
Nene Wayo explained that the government compulsorily acquired about 13,580 acres of land for the dam, buffer zones, and irrigation infrastructure. Out of this, more than 8,000 acres were earmarked for crop cultivation after the acquisition from traditional landowners in Kokrobite, Plerno, Amanfro, and Bortianor.
Over the years, however, persistent encroachment has drastically reduced the land available for irrigation farming. In 2013, about 4,455 acres were released back to the original landowners through Executive Instrument 20, leaving only about 795.94 acres — roughly six per cent of the land originally acquired for irrigation farming and residential use by GIDA officials.
Mr. Wayo continued that “even this remaining land is now under threat.” He cited the allocation of 61 acres within the core serviced area of the irrigation scheme to A.K.O. Obotantim Properties Limited, despite the land being designated for irrigation under existing government instruments.
He said checks at the Lands Commission revealed conflicting documentation, raising concerns about the integrity of the land administration process. According to him, the gradual loss of irrigation land runs contrary to government agricultural policies that prioritise irrigation farming as a key driver of food production and employment.
Moreover, Mr. Wayo estimated that the remaining land alone could support more than 30,000 farmhands, while the full preservation of the scheme could create jobs for over 150,000 people.
He, therefore, called on the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, GIDA, National Security, and the Presidency to urgently intervene to protect the remaining irrigation land from further encroachment.
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