The Tamale High Court has ruled in favour of the Wasipe Traditional Area and Savana Plantation in a long-running land dispute with the Tolon Traditional Area over a 300-acre parcel near the White Volta River at Daboya in the Savannah Region.
Presided over by Justice Eric Ansah Ankomah, the court declared Wasipewura and Savana Plantation as the rightful owners of the disputed land.
The defendants, including Tolon-Naa and five others, were ordered to pay GH¢30,000 in damages for trespassing and GH¢20,000 in legal costs.
Justice Ankomah noted that evidence presented in court, including cross-examinations and a joint site inspection, exposed inconsistencies in the defendants’ claims. The full judgment is yet to be released to the parties involved.
Counsel for the plaintiffs, Iana Adaewine, described the ruling as a victory for the justice system.
“This decision shows that the courts remain active, neutral, and fair. People should not take the law into their own hands,” he said, urging land buyers to engage qualified lawyers or technical experts when acquiring property to avoid conflicts.
Secretary to the Wasipewura, Jantonwura Peter Awusi Yakubu, said the ruling was a relief for the Wasipe Traditional Area and the wider Gonja kingdom.
“With this outcome, the Wasipewura will enskin chiefs in the remaining villages to protect our lands for future generations,” he added, encouraging other chiefs across Gonja land to take similar steps to safeguard their territories.
The dispute dates back to 2011 when the then-regent, now Tolon-Naa Major Sulemana, claimed that the Tolon boundary extended to the White Volta near Daboya.
Tensions escalated, leading to a lawsuit in 2018 after some residents of Kpendua allegedly trespassed on land leased by the Wasipewura to Savana Plantation. Both traditional authorities later joined the suit, asserting ownership rights over the land extending to the White Volta River.
The court conducted a joint site inspection on June 19, 2025, which formed part of the evidence leading to the judgment.
Source: Isaac Nongya
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