Accra Turf Club demands land title and justice after Borteyman racecourse demolition
Written on
Ghana's horse-racing community has petitioned the presidency, the Lands Commission and the Sports Ministry, demanding restoration of the Borteyman Racecourse and title to the disputed land.
The Accra Turf Club and Ghana's horse-racing community have demanded the immediate restoration and protection of the Borteyman Racecourse, title to the disputed property and prosecution of those responsible for its demolition.
Members of the racing fraternity, including stables, horse owners, jockeys, grooms and trainers, took their protest onto the streets of Accra, pressing the Lands Commission, government ministries and other state agencies to resolve a dispute that escalated after an alleged forceful takeover of the racecourse on August 22.
The club alleges that about 200 armed men, accompanied by police officers and heavy-duty machinery, stormed the Borteyman Racecourse and demolished key facilities before taking control of the property. The club says the sport supports more than 30,000 livelihoods.
The protesters presented petitions to the presidency, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation and the Lands Commission. A presidential staffer, Nana Yaa Jantuah, received the club's petition on behalf of President John Dramani Mahama.
The club is demanding that the Lands Commission perfect its land documentation and grant it title, that the racecourse be reclaimed and secured, that those behind the destruction face justice, and that facilities promised under its original relocation agreement be delivered. Board Secretary Sam Newton said the frustration cuts across the entire racing ecosystem, from owners and trainers to individual stables.