Stop stealing our Lands – La Youth to Govt.
Large number of youth groups from La Dadekotopon Municipality in the Greater Accra Region have stormed the Lands and Natural Resource Ministry to demand for the release of their lands illegally acquired by government officials and the military.
The youth group calling itself the Coalition of La Associations, COLA, also demanded government halt from further use and sale of their lands.
This they called on the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources to treat it as a matter of urgency to release Airport Hills Lands known as (Kpeletso) which the military annexing to the La Traditional Council.
COLA cautioned the military to stay off their lands in order to forestall peaceful co-existance between them.
The have accussed the government conniving with the military, Lands Commission and other agencies to take over lands that belong to the people of La.
Protesters petitioned that government return all lands which were compulsorily acquired from them.
The protesters converged at the La market passed some principal streets of La through Osu and ended at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources where they submitted the petition to the sector Minister.
The demonstrators clad in red amidst drumming and chanting of war songs.
They also carried placards which reads Mr. President We Deserve Better, Our Chiefs Deserves Better, Nana Remember The Past, Give Us Trade Fair Lands among others.
Presenting the petition, the second Vice Chairman of the Coalition, Cornelius Adjetey, stated that several petitions written to the President over the years on the matter have not yielded any result.
Government, according to him, has treated the people of La unjustly by taking over their lands and unilaterally extending lease periods.
“We are resolved, that we shall not allow the use of unconstitutional, illegal, irregular or clandestine methods to steal our lands and will resist same by every means possible,” he pointed.
Mr. Adjetey called for the arrest and prosecution of indeviduals, government officials illegally appropriating their lands together with their collaborators and perpetrators within the Lands Commission.
He further urged the government to put measures in place to pay all overdue compensations on their land that were acquired compulsorily.
Mr. Adjetey proposed that the government should enter into agreement with the La Traditional Council on all redevelopment issues with local content in perspective, especially with the projects of Ghana International Trade Fair, Airport City and Energy City Projects.
Receiving the petition on behalf of the Minister, the Deputy Minster of Lands and Natural Resources, Benito Owusu Bio, expressed gratitude to the La Youth and their leaders for a peaceful demonstratio. He assured them that their petition will be given the necessary and the needed attention it deserve.
Mr. Owusu Bio also urged them to be calm and the sector Ministry will work in their petition by conveying their message to the President.
By: Iddrissu A. Jara
