Asantehene and Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has cautioned chiefs, individuals, and other interested parties against laying claim to lands belonging to the university.
Speaking during activities marking KNUST’s 75th anniversary, the Asantehene emphasized that the university’s lands are legally vested in the stools and reserved solely for the institution’s use. He stressed that no individual or family has ownership rights over the property.
Otumfuo warned that anyone who supports or participates in efforts to challenge KNUST’s ownership of its lands in court does so at their own risk.
Expressing concern over the increasing number of legal disputes involving university lands, he questioned why some lawyers continue to pursue such cases despite what he described as the clear legal status of the property.
“The land belongs to the Golden Stool. The chiefs are only caretakers; no family owns the land. All the lands are vested in the stools,” he stated.
The Asantehene alleged that certain individuals, both within and outside the university community, were collaborating to secure court judgments over portions of KNUST land for personal benefit.
“Anyone within the university or around it who collaborates with others to take matters concerning university land to court, simply to obtain judgments over more than 1,000 acres and subsequently sell them, should desist. I say no to such actions,” he said.
He further criticized legal practitioners who support claims to lands designated for educational institutions, urging them to exercise greater professional responsibility and due diligence.
“There is collusion both within and outside. I wonder why some lawyers would support individuals claiming ownership of university land and assist them in pursuing such cases in court when they know the facts,” he added.
Otumfuo reiterated the need to protect KNUST’s lands from encroachment and unlawful claims, stressing that the property is intended to serve the long-term development and educational mission of the university.
