La Chiefs Warn Gov’t

Over land for presidents’ houses
The chiefs and people of La, a traditional area in Accra have sent a strong warning to government to stop the developments currently taking place on a parcel of land originally acquired for the Post & Telecommunications’ Wireless station.

Government is currently developing the area into a housing complex to accommodate visiting heads of state during the country’s golden jubilee celebration next year, but failed to inform the traditional council from which the land was originally acquired.

Though some meetings have taking place since the council raised its objections, with Chief of Staff Kwadwo Mpiani personally leading a delegation to visit the chiefs, the council has in a letter to the Chief of Staff and the Ghana@50 secretariat conveyed “the strong demand of the people of La for an end to be put to the developments which have commenced on the land acquired for the wireless station at La near Cantonments and for the return or release of the same to the people of La.”

Despite a commitment from government following the council’s disapproval of the project to among others construct a jubilee palace for the La Mantse and provide seed capital for a La development fund, the people of La are not convinced.

They are insisting on a complete halt to the project explaining that the land was leased for a particular period and for particular use.

“We are uncomfortable with the situation whereby government leased land for a wireless station for P&T, gave it to Civil Aviation… we were okay with that, but to construct residential accommodation that is been financed by private companies to whom the building reverts after some time and they can also sell it is untenable” says Prince Derek Adjei, a youth leader from La when contacted by dailyEXPRESS about signals that the youth and elders were unhappy.

Mr. Derek Adjei made reference to the Ghana@50 press conference last Thursday at which it was announced that the buildings will be taken over by the developing companies, explaining that by the terms of the acquisition of the lands, it must be returned to the original owners after the compulsorily leased period.

The heads of state housing project started without the blessing of the chiefs who own the land. At a subsequent meeting with the Chief of staff, the council is said to have complained and expressed its disapproval of the project insisting that the intended purpose for which the land was leased is not housing.

Government and the Ghana@50 secretariat acknowledged the difficulty of the chiefs in relation to the project and other La acquired lands, apologising for the earlier mix up that did not make it possible for the traditional council to be involved in the performance of any rights if necessary before the start of the project.

“The chairman also wants me to convey his personal regret and that of the officials of the secretariat for any acts of omission which may have breached the customary practices and norms of the elders and people of La” said a letter from the Ghana@50 secretariat and dated September 13, 2006.

The secretariat also assured the council of government’s preparedness to assist in the performance of “whatever rights are deemed necessary to give a fit and proper blessing to the project.”

But the council after two letters from the secretariat and a meeting with the Chief of Staff wrote to the secretariat last week making it clear that “there was a strong and irresistible demand” from the youth and elders that “since the land was acquired specifically for a wireless station for which it is no longer required” it should be released to the people.

dailyEXPRESS has picked up signals that the unhappy youth of La who are raising purely legal arguments top buttress their point about the ownership of the land may take ‘actions they deem fit’ in the next few days to prevent the housing units getting to the lintel stage.

Derek Adjei when reached about the subtle threats from the youth said he is not aware of any such plans, but maintained that it could be a possibility because the people are not happy.

“There are examples to guide us, government acquired land for the railway corporation. The railway gave it to a private developer when the land is not there’s and that is why the minister is moving to have that lease agreement set aside. Should we wait until the private developers take possession of land that is not there’s?”

Derek also adds that the current situation has come about because the government which gave the land to the Ghana@50 secretariat erred and did not do things well. According to him the proper thing is to give back the land, and there’ll be no problems.

La Mantse Nii Kpobi Tettey Tsuru III who signed the ‘stop work’ letter is currently out of the country but sources close to the palace have told the dailyEXPRESS that the council is also not happy about an attempt by government to ‘buy them off’ with promises of a La Jubilee Palace and seed money for a development fund, insisting that the two issues are entirely different.