Landguards are emboldened by influential personalities in society — Security expert

Anthony Acquaye, the Executive Director of the Centre for Security Dialogue, has shed light on the factors contributing to the increasing incidents of landguardism across the country.

He highlighted that many of these landguards derive their boldness from the support they receive from influential individuals in the society.

During a discussion on the recent incident where an army officer was fatally shot over a land dispute in Millennium City, Gomoa East Constituency, Mr Acquaye revealed that these landguards often possess firearms more sophisticated than those of the army.

He elaborated that influential figures, including politicians, businesspeople, and certain state institutions with vested interests in specific lands, provide support to these landguards.

Mr Acquaye cited instances where the Ministry of Works and Housing resorted to employing landguards to reclaim state lands unlawfully taken by unscrupulous individuals.

Furthermore, Mr Acquaye emphasised that the proliferation of illicit weapons significantly fuels landguard activities.

He noted that individuals with licensed firearms sometimes lease their weapons to landguards for their operations, contributing to the prevalence of unlicensed firearms, estimated at about 1.2 million in the system.

Additionally, Mr. Acquaye pointed out that landguardism has inadvertently boosted local blacksmith jobs in Kasoa and its environs.

—Classfmonline