Ga Council wants compensation for lands

THE GaDangme Council has resolved to use all legal means to secure the prompt payment of compensation by the government for lands which were acquired for public purposes.

It also resolved to press for the repeal of discriminatory laws which automatically vest lands in the hands of a developer who develops such lands to a certain level. The council also resolved to promote the teaching of Ghanaian languages, especially those spoken in the Greater Accra Region.

These were contained in a 12-point communiqu? issued after the first GaDangme Congress in Accra at the weekend to deliberate on issues affecting the people?s welfare, progress and development.

The congress which attracted more than 500 participants from all over the country was attended by all the paramount chiefs and sub-chiefs in the Greater Accra Region, Ministers of State, Members of the Dilomatic Corps, Parliamentarians and the general public.

The six-hour congress, dubbed, ?Kpe Ngwa? was on the theme: ?GaDangme - Uniting for Progress and Development.? A newspaper, titled?Manye Aba? which will serve as the authoritative mouthpiece of the council was launched by, Professor J.S. Djangmah, a member of the GaDangme Council. In the communiqu?, the council said it will initiate discussions for the reconsideration of the policy to sell government bungalows to private land developers and take steps to recover lands illegally allocated for private development.

The council expressed concern on the low level of education among the youth in the region and said, ?we are determined to take our destiny into our own hands and to improve the quality of life of our people within the context of national development.?

It also resolved to empower women, revitalise the chieftaincy institution in the GaDangme area, ?so that it may truly become the embodiment of the GaDangme personality and custodians of our heritage, tradition and culture.?

Opening the congress, the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheikh I.C Quaye, appealed to the people to eschew chieftaincy and land disputes and forge a partnership for development.

He said the government is committed to the well-being of the people and gave the assurance that all their concerns are being addressed.

Sheikh Quaye appealed to the chiefs and people in the area to take the local governance system seriously since it forms part of the decentralisation process.

Mr K.B Asante, President of the GaDangme Council, advised the chiefs and people to resolve their differences on chieftaincy and land diputes stressing that, ?we have to put our house in order.?

He dismissed claims in certain quarters that the council is fuelling tribalism and emphasised that, ?it is only the ignorant that will entertain such a notion.?

Mr Asante explained that the GaDangme Council exists to foster consciousness among its people and, ?forge unity as an integral part of national unity.?

He, said the council welcomes all strangers into its abode, ?but this does not mean that their identity should be submerged or that their customs and culture should be disregarded or treated with contempt.?

He reiterated that, land which was acquired and virtually not used for the intended purposes for which it was taken should be revert to its original owners.