Gadangme to Establish Database On Lands

The GaDangme Council has drawn up an action plan for 2003 including the establishment of a database on lands and to assist in the production of cadastral maps of the respective areas as measure to curtail land litigation and over-exploitation of lands in the area.

The plan estimated at about 750 million cedis, covers scholarships for students and research into GaDangme heritage.

Mr Kofi Amoatey, Chairman of the Heritage Committee of the GaDangme Council said this on Saturday at the first GaDangme Congress where he presented the Council's "Action Plan for 2003".

The Council is also to seek, obtain and assemble the appropriate documents, titles and records relating to the lands of the respective traditional councils in the Greater Accra Region.

He said the Council was to pursue among other things the promotion of worthy GaDangme causes and interests, strengthen institutional capacity, enhance the financial resource base and mobilise GaDangme's human capital in support of the cause.

Mr Amoatey said the Council is to assist the GaDangme stools to prosecute all land cases, review and submit proposals and lobby for the repeal of obnoxious land laws such as the Land Purchasers Act, and to recover possession of title to lands including all expired leases on GaDangme land.

The Council is also to assist the Traditional Councils to install a system for the management of lands, submit proposals for the review of rates and payment of compensation, rents royalties and peppercorn.

Mr Amoatey said the Council would also assist the respective traditional councils to set-up land secretariats and consult with and propose to GaDangme chiefs a blueprint for the management of the lands.

The Council would also encourage the teaching of the GaDangme languages in school, promote literacy, encourage the students to pursue education at all levels and to draw up a policy paper on education for GaDangmes.

The Chairman said the Council would also consult with the respective councils on the re-presentation of GaDangme culture as an integral part of Ghanaian culture and assist to compile the history and succession plan of their traditional offices.

Other objectives of the plan were the institution of policy documentation on the investment potentials, the instituting of a citizens voluntary donations scheme and the mobilisation of GaDangmes nation-wide.