Marine Drive Project in limbo; Palmer-Buckle, 33 other Ga Dangme elites want it halted

The much talked about Marine Drive Project meant to transform the Coastal line from the Osu Christianborg Castle to the Arts Center into a tourism enclave may not materialize.

This follows a strong objection to the project by the Ga Dangme Council led by Most Rev. Charles Palmer-Buckle and 33 other prominent sons and daughters of Ga Dangme even though the main custodians of the land, the Gbese and Osu Stools have given their blessings for the smooth take off of the tourism enclave initiative.

The other Ga Dangme natives opposed to the project are; Mr. A. K. Armah, Hon. Justice V. C. R. A. C. Crabbe, Rev. Prof. Seth Ayettey, Prof. Ablade Glover, Mrs. Comfort Melody Slater, Prof. Atukwei Okai, Prof. Nii Amon Kotei and Prof. Nii Ashie Kotey.

The rest are Mr. Bright Akwetey, Mr. E. Oko Adjetey, Mr. J. E. Allotey-Pappoe, Mr. Charles Sagoe, Dr. J. B. K. Allotey, Ms. Virginia Hesse, Rear Admiral Arthur Riby Sampa Nuno (Rtd), Maj. Gen. Joseph Narh Adinkrah (Rtd), Maj. Gen. Nii Carl Coleman (Rtd), Maj. Benjamin M. Akuete (Rtd), Ms. Ophelia Ablorh, Mr. Emmanuel Ashley and Dr. Nii Kwaku Sowa.

Others are Prof. Nii Noi Dowuona, Mrs. Sarah Mills-Okaikoi, Mr. Oko Tetteh, Prof. Patience Mensah, Mr. George Hansen, Mr. Chris Adom, Mr. Michael Nii Yemo Yemofio, Mr. Davis Nii Amaa Ollennu, Mr. Bortei Borquaye and Mr. Eugene Welford Armah.

These prominent sons and daughters of Ga Dangme who have fears that the Marine Drive Project will not serve the interest of the public have petitioned President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and copied the Speaker of Parliament, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, the United Nations and some government officials and institutions to immediately halt the project.

Demands

The petition dated March 10, 2017, signed by the aforementioned sons and daughters of Ga Dangme Council, a copy of which has been sighted by Kasapafmonline.com is also demanding from the President to revoke Executive Instrument (E. I) 59 which was used by the erstwhile National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration to compulsory acquire the 248 acres tract of land for the Marine Drive Project.

The petitioners believe that the reason for the acquisition of the large tract of coastal land in Accra for the Marine Drive Project under E. I. 59 is not for public purposes as there is an overriding consideration for such acquisitions.

“Rather, the E. I. 59 has been used to practically hand over the said piece of land to private persons or entities for private gain. Council therefore urges that Government should revoke E. I. 59 because it is inimical to public interest as envisaged and described in the Constitution,” the petition in part stated.

The petitioners further want the Government to review the process of acquisition of the said 248 acres tract of land for the Marine Drive Project by consulting with all interested parties such as the Ga Traditional Council, Osu Traditional Council, James Town Traditional Council, Ga Dangme Organisations and Community Leaders to elicit their views and active participation in the whole process.

“This will ensure equity and their consent for peaceful transfer and use of the land,” they argued in their petition to the President.

They also want the Government to pay particular attention to the injunction of the UN Expert Group on Indigenous Groups and the Environment that calls upon “States to pay particular attention to the right to health and cultural rights of the indigenous peoples, which may be infringed upon by activities threatening their environment and or disregarding the spiritual and cultural significance they give to their ancestral lands.”

Background

Given the background to their demands, the petitioners averred that as far back as 2009-10, a prominent Ghanaian personality tried to buy or lease the said piece of land from the various owners with exactly the same objectives for which the land is being acquired by the Government.

In the first attempt to acquire, by purchase, the said piece of land from the owners, the petitioners argued that they have good reasons to believe that the prospective investor had some official or political support from the then NDC Government in power.

“With that knowledge or suspicion, the Council and many interested parties raised serious objections in appropriate quarters to the proposed sale or lease of the land to the investor. In view of the opposition, the attempts to secure the land were halted,” noted the petitioners.

They added “the publication of E. I. 59 on July 7, 2016, and the purposes for which the land was then being acquired by the erstwhile NDC Government did not, in our view, constitute what may be described as compulsory acquisition for “public purposes” or an acquisition in the “public interest”. From all indications, the “former” investor in 2009-10, is the same person leading the present effort.”

“We were therefore convinced that E. I. 59 could not be in the interest of the public. Rather, it was a disingenuous action taken by the NDC Government to officially acquire the said piece of land only to hand it over to a private person, or persons, or private entities for private gain. This is illegal, unjust, inequitable and ill-motivated.”

It is however not clear how the Gbese and Osu Traditional Councils will treat these concerns raised by the Ga Dangme Council having already performed a joint traditional rite to pave the way for the commencement of the multi-million dollar project to develop parts of the Accra Coastal Line into a tourism enclave on Monday, April 17, 2017 and also expressed their full commitment to the said project.

However, deep throat sources within the corridors of the Gbese and Osu Traditional Council say the chiefs are not happy about the sudden turn of events and have vowed to clear any impediments that may come along the way of the Marine Drive Project which they believe will create jobs, income opportunities and royalties to the Stool Lands.