The Coalition of La Associations (COLA) under the La Traditional Council in the Greater Accra Region is asking the government to release to them a portion of land allegedly encroached on by the military around the military cemetery.
In registering their displeasure against the annexation of their lands, members of the group proceeded to the land in question with placards and invoked the gods on military personnel involved in the act.
Addressing the media on the matter, a member of the Coalition of La Associations, Jeffrey Tetteh stated that the military has made strong efforts to keep land that belongs to the Chiefs and people of La.
“The military did not acquire the land. It was the government that actually acquired part of the land and proposed to acquire some portions, which is where we are standing now, but it hasn’t done the acquisition yet. Over the years we have realized that it is expanding, and we need part of the land so that we can also expand towards this end, but the military has vowed throughout the sessions from 2016 that they are not going to allow this to happen.”
“After deliberations on November 27, 2020, the government through the then Minister of Lands actually announced in the presence of the military and the Lands Commission that they are releasing the vast stretch of land to the people of La. Immediately after this announcement, the Chiefs were actually invited to come and sign an MOU on December 4, 2020. Unfortunately, on their way to sign it, something very funny happened. Just about 30 minutes before they got to the ministry, they were asked to return and told that they would be called later and gave an excuse that it was because of the elections and people have gone to campaign,” he stated.
They also called on the President to fulfill his promise of releasing the land to them.
Stop military from encroaching on our lands – La Traditional Council to Akufo-Addo
The La Traditional Council over the weekend called on the Presidency to get the military to desist from encroaching on parcels of La lands in the Greater Accra Region.
They claim that the actions of the military do not augur well with the people of La.
Addressing the press after visiting a parcel of land at Tsaado by members of the La Traditional Council, a trustee of the East Dadekotopon Development Trust and Coalition of Associations in La (COLA), La Shikitele, Nii Adjei Koofeh IV said President Akufo Addo must assist in finding a lasting solution to brewing land dispute between the military and Council.
“We have been very magnanimous to the State. Most prime lands of La have been used for national interest and State purposes. The military has taken a chunk of our lands even without proper documentation. We expect them to abide by the law and the tenets of the constitution.”
“The President is the commander-in-chief of the Ghana Armed Forces and if the military will do things that will bring his name into disrepute, it will not be good for him, and we expect him to call them to order for them to cease all work on the land for us to come to an agreement before anything is done on the land. We are calling on the president to act now because when the people of La rise we have nothing to tell them or do,” he said.
