Illegal sale of CSIR lands -staff against government, others
The Research Staff Association of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is up in arms against the government and other ‘unseen hands’ that are allegedly facilitating the illegal sale of CSIR lands across the country, thereby stalling research for national development.
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It has threatened to take up legal action against all those involved to reclaim the lands belonging to the CSIR, especially the 78-acre Airport Residential Area land, 2.2 acres of which a private developer, WONTIRIM Company Limited, represented by one Mr Akumba, is developing.
At a press conference in Kumasi on Friday to vent out its frustration, the President of the association, Dr Edward Yeboah, said the action by the encroachers was gradually stalling research and could plunge the country into development crisis, including food and water shortage.
He said instead of devoting their time to research to come up with new crop varieties, the researchers had to consign their energies to the law courts and the protection of their lands.
Boomerang effect
“This coordinated attempt to stifle research through the illegal sale of CSIR lands will have a boomerang effect on our national development if not checked,” he said.
The association said it expected the government to lead the fight against those illegal activities after many petitions to it, since the survival of the CSIR would impact positively on national development.
“The time has come for the wanton disregard for things of national interest for parochial interest to cease. The authorities empowered to act in the interest of national development must act now to stop those who want to hide behind them to drive their personal agenda.
“We appeal to the Presidency to help restore CSIR lands in the country and in particular to stop the private developer on the Airport Residential Area land,” Dr Yeboah said.
He alleged that a powerful individual (name withheld) who had links with the seat of government was the brain behind the illegal sale of the airport land to a Dubai private developer to build a hotel.
The workers of CSIR also alleged that they were terrorised and manhandled by thugs (land guards) each time they went to conduct research on their lands, including the over 300 acres in Tamale.