The Chief of Ashaiman in the Greater Accra Region, Nii Annan Adjor, has issued a stern warning to farmers who are renting out portions of the Ashaiman Lebanon Irrigation Scheme lands to squatters and encroachers.

He urged them to cease the practice immediately or face serious consequences.

Expressing his concern, Nii Annan Adjor noted that it is troubling to see farmers, who are supposed to protect arable lands, instead entering into tenancy agreements with unauthorized occupants.

This practice, he warned, is accelerating the loss of farmland and threatening food security in the area.

The Ashaiman Irrigation Scheme, established over 50 years ago by the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) to promote year-round agriculture, originally covered 400 hectares.

However, nearly half of the land has now been encroached upon, with farmlands being converted into residential settlements.

Speaking to Accra FM's Rebecca Lartey, Nii Annan Adjor revealed that the traditional authority, in partnership with GIDA’s new management, is formulating strategies to evict squatters and reclaim the agricultural land.

He emphasized that protecting the remaining farmlands is vital to sustaining agricultural activities in the region.

Meanwhile, the Acting CEO of GIDA, Mr. Eric Samuel Adu Dankwa, has announced plans to seek a court injunction to halt unauthorized developments on the land.

He stated that GIDA would soon take legal action to remove all squatters and restore the area to its original agricultural purpose.

The Chief’s call to action and GIDA’s planned legal measures highlight the urgency of safeguarding farmland from encroachment to ensure food production in Ashaiman.