Tamale High Court rules in favour of Wasipe traditional area in Daboya land dispute

The Tamale High Court has delivered judgment in favour of the Wasipe Traditional Area and Savana Plantation in a protracted land dispute with the Tolon Traditional Area over a 300-acre tract of land near the White Volta River at Daboya in the Savannah Region.

Presided over by Justice Eric Ansah Ankomah, the court declared the Wasipewura and Savana Plantation as the rightful owners of the disputed land.

The defendants, including Tolon-Naa Major (Rtd) Sulemana and five others, were found liable for trespass and ordered to pay GH¢30,000 in damages and GH¢20,000 as costs.

Justice Ankomah noted that the evidence adduced during trial — including cross-examinations and a joint court visit to the site — revealed significant inconsistencies in the defendants’ boundary claims.

Although the full judgment is yet to be issued to the parties, the ruling has been described as a major precedent in resolving chieftaincy-linked land disputes in northern Ghana.

Counsel for the plaintiffs, Iana Adaewine, hailed the judgment as a victory for the rule of law, stressing that the courts remain “active, neutral, and fair.”

He also advised land buyers and developers to consult lawyers and survey experts before acquiring land to prevent future litigation.

Jantonwura Peter Awusi Yakubu, Secretary to the Wasipewura, described the verdict as a relief for the Wasipe people and the Gonja Kingdom, stating that it paves the way for the enskinment of chiefs to protect communal lands for posterity.

The dispute traces back to 2011, when the then regent — now Tolon-Naa Major Sulemana (Rtd) — claimed that the Tolon boundary extended to the White Volta near Daboya.

The disagreement intensified in 2018 after residents of Kpendua allegedly trespassed on land leased by the Wasipewura to Savana Plantation, prompting legal action.

Both the Wasipe and Tolon Traditional Areas joined the case, each asserting ownership of land extending to the river.

The court’s joint site inspection on June 19, 2025, proved pivotal, helping establish the true boundaries and leading to the court’s final decision in favour of Wasipe.

The judgment is seen as a significant step toward promoting peaceful resolution of land disputes in Ghana’s northern traditional jurisdictions.