COLA Urges Government To Engage Traditional Authorities On La Lands

The Coalition of La Associations (COLA) and the GaDangme Coalition Against Land Injustice, have asked all private developers who have started or intends to starts some works on La lands, to as a matter of urgency halt while the Traditional Authorities engage Government on the matter.”

“We also call on government to treat our chiefs with the same level of respect it accords traditional leaders from other parts of the country”.

This came to light at a press briefing following recent public outcry over the continuous and unprecedented wanton dissipation of lands within the Greater Accra Region in general and particularly in the La Traditional area by government and some state officials.

The Coalition of La Associations (COLA) and the GaDangme Coalition Against Land Injustice have also announced a series of DEMONSTRATIONS commencing Tuesday July 30th, 2024 to drive home their displeasure and demands reversal of all affected transactions indicating that, the looting of lands by Politicians is enough and must be stopped now.

The two partners believe that the people of GaDangme and in particular, those from La have not been treated fairly compared to people from other parts of the country saying, it is only when their demands are done that they can be at peace and be guaranteed of a peacefully coexist with all other people.

“The rapid manner in which these lands are being sold out to politicians and their cronies has not only become a disturbing subject of public discourse but also smacks of the highest level of insults from government to the traditional authorities, under whose jurisdiction these lands are located i.e. the chiefs of La whose subjects continue to ridicule them on the issue without justification despite efforts to get this land looting spree halted”.

Addressing the media, Jeffrey Tetteh, Spokesperson for Collation of La Associations (COLA) said, they are indeed shocked by the announcement made by the Minister responsible for the Interior, Honorable Henry Quartey on the floor of Parliament that, an arrangement has been made with “a private developer” to redevelop portions of the lands occupied by the Ghana Prisons Service in Cantonments.

“This immoral arrangement makes room for the private developer to retain the remainder of the land for his private business without any provision for the allodia owners of the land i.e. The Traditional Authorities. In our view, this is one of such bad decisions which should not be countenanced. We are asking government to halt that process and leave that whole parcel land for the use by the Prisons Service”.

He therefore called on every King, Chief, Queen and all other traditional leaders to rally support for the La and GaDangme people in the fight against Land injustice to avert possible replication of same in other places when the lands in Accra have been completely dissipated.

“It is us today and if you do not support our cry now, it would be in your jurisdiction tomorrow”.

Many other lands according to Mr. Jeffrey Tetteh, have come under scrutiny for either being sold to politicians, politically exposed persons or some private developers under the so called government redevelopment programme.

The redevelopment programmea Mr. Jeffrey indicated, is violently against the interests of pre-acquisition land owners. “These lands include but not limited to all the parcel of land under the Parks and Gardens at Cantonments, several state housing properties at south La Labone and Cantonments, the Ministry of Agric land beside the Burma camp overpass and the judges bungalows in cantonments”.

The Energy City Project he added, is another scheme in which lands acquired under both the Hausa Reserve programme and the Airport Extension Acquisition has been chopped into pieces and doled out to politicians and politically exposed people. “We ask that the deal, which appears questionable and unconscionable should be halted immediately”.

He lamented that since the acquisition of the Trade Fair land which extends all the way to cover the space occupied by the LABADI BEACH AND LA Palm ROYAL BEACH HOTELS in the early 60’s, not a single pesewa has been paid in compensation as required by law to the pre-acquisition owners.

“It is therefore important, and common sense would require that the requisite compensation commensurate with the prevailing market value of the land is settled with the preacquisition owners of the Trade Fair land (including those occupied by the hotels) before the commencement of any redevelopment is commenced.

“If government is unable to pay the requsite compensation, then government should take steps to return the land to the people of La. This would at least breed some level of respect and good faith between government on one side and the good people of La on the other.

.KPETSO LAND”.

On the issue of the KPLETSO LAND, Jeffrey Tetteh expressed gratitude to President Akufo Addo for his effort at releasing the land to the people of La. “Indeed a search run on any portion of the land at the lands commission today would indicate the LA STOOL as the rightful and true owners of the land. Our biggest worry however, is the gross disrespect being exhibited by the Minister responsible for Defense, the Honorable Dominic Nitiwul, who is not only our tenant but also our son-in-law. Nitiwul, an appointee of the President, has refused to allow his in-laws (the people of La) access to their own land, effective disrespecting His Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces (an institution whose policies he directs).

This raises our adrenaline collectively as a people to its boiling point.Considering the above, the Coalition of La Associations (COLA), working in close collaboration with The GaDangme Coalition Against Land Injustice is calling on the Minister for Defense to resign or be sacked by the President for insubornation”.

Source:dailydemocratnewsonline.com