The word “Tindanas”, according to the “Gurune ” language , was the first settler landowner and the custodian of the land in a particular geographical area or community. Among some of the roles of the Tindana is the performance of rituals to gods of the land, cleansing and purification of the land, arbitration of land disputes within his area of jurisdiction, allocate land for building, oversees land within his area of control and validates transfer of land among others.
Portions of the new land reforms bill states that the allodial title holders of the land include the skin , the stole and the family excluding the Tindanas.
According to the Tindanas they are the allodial title holders of the area of their ritual jurisdictions , and wondered why they were exempted in the new land reforms bill.
Quoting from articles four and sub sections of article three, seven and fourteen of the new land reforms bill, the Spokesperson of the Tindanas , Mr Peter Eddison Saah, stated that it is stipulated that the allodial title holders of the land is the skin, stool, or family .
He stated that it would be wronged for the state to refuse to recognize Tindanas, if Parliament goes ahead to pass the bill into law without the involvement of the Tindanas who, he stated , are the real custodians and the allodial title holders of the land in the Northern , Upper East and Upper West Regions.
He stated that unlike the southern sectors where chiefs were the custodians of land and many lands belonging to the state, it was not so in the three Northern Regions of Ghana and warned that failure to heed the Tindanas demand could spark trouble.
“ In the instance where individuals are allowed to prepare their own leases once the family head or the chief signs under the new bill without the Tindanas will be absolutely wrong . Tindanas in this part of the country are the real allodial title holders of the land and not the chief. Until they hear the voice of Tindanas in the Upper East Region the bill will not see the daylight”, they warned.
The Tindanas who stated they were never consulted on the drafting of the bill which was now in the fourth stage, stressed that they had been the real custodian of land before , during and the colonial days .
Mr Ben Anaba , one of the Tindanas , quoted written books entitled , “A survey of Land Tenure in Customarily Law of the Protectorate of the Northern Ghana Territories” and the “ National House of Chiefs and Law Reforms Commission Ascertainment of Customarily Law series five” , to buttress the argument that the Tindanas are the custodians of the land.
He further cited some instances including the year 1987 where the Upper East Regional House of Chief constituted Judicial Committee of lawyers including , Lawyer William Atubigah who is now currently the High Court Judge to look into land case concerning a chief and Tindana which led to the Tindana winning the case .
Mr Agongo Atambire , of the Tindnas , stated that the earlier the case was looked into the better or else it worsen the land dispute cases in the regions-
By Samuel Adadi Akapule Bolgatanga,
