La Traditional Council suspended over corruption allegations, set to close down September 26, 2024

The La Traditional Council will be suspended and officially shut down on Thursday, September 26, 2024, pending the installation of a new La Mantse.

This decision follows a series of allegations, including corruption, extortion, and illegal land dealings linked to the Council’s activities.

According to a statement from the Regional House of Chiefs, which confirmed the closure, the Council has been accused of extorting money from prospective landowners through the administrator of Stool Lands.

Additionally, there have been claims of illegal land lease regularisation using multiple letterheads, signed by individuals falsely claiming to act under the Council’s authority.

Among the most high-profile controversies is the case involving the former Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Freddie Blay.

Mr. Blay claimed his son had purchased the Labadi Beach Hotel beachfront from the La Traditional Council, despite a Supreme Court ruling that the Council lacked the capacity to deal in such land transactions.

Further allegations suggest that Mr. Blay's Polo Club car park has obstructed the Kpeshie Lagoon estuary.

Members of the La Traditional Council have been ordered to render a full account of their stewardship to the Registrar before their exit on September 26.

This includes a comprehensive audit of all financial transactions, particularly those related to the La Beach (Labome & La Pleasure Beach) managed by the Ghana Tourist Board.

The Council must also account for all land transactions conducted since the death of the late La Mantse, Nii Kpobi Tettey Tsuru III, on February 4, 2019.

This audit will cover key areas, including the Cantonments Civil Aviation Land and the activities of the Lands Committee.

Additionally, the Council is required to report on the funds and activities associated with significant cultural events such as the La Homowo festival and the funeral of the late La Mantse.

The impending audit will also extend to the East La Dadekotopon Development Trust, Laboma Beach Resort, and Labadi Beach Resort.

All funds will be consolidated into a single account until a new La Mantse is installed, at which point further decisions will be made regarding the future of the Council's operations.

As the Council prepares to close, the Regional House of Chiefs is expected to lock the offices of the La Traditional Council.

The new La Mantse, once installed, will have the authority to relocate the Council’s offices, possibly outside the La Mantse Palace.

The decision to close the La Traditional Council has been welcomed by several factions, including the Kowe Lumoshishi, Abese, and other Akutsei clans in La, who support the Regional House of Chiefs' intervention.