Adas Want Land Back After Repeal of Songhor Lagoon Law

Based on the promise made by Hon Adjei Darko, Minister for Mines to the chiefs and people of Ada Traditional Area that his government would repeal the Ada Songhor Lagoon Law 1992 (PNDCL) when he inaugurated the Songhor Salt Project Interim Management Committee, the people of Ada have called on the Government to help them retrieve their land.

According to Samual Tei Tsirapah, secretary to the Tekperbiawe Divisional Council, their hearts are gladdened by the letter written to the Ada traditional area to confirm the Government's intention to remove PNDCL 287.

Making these known to a cross-section of the media at a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, he revealed that the council had leased the Songhor lagoon to several investors who had approached them for portions of the land due to the letter sent to the council by the Minister.

To this end, he said the heads of the Ada traditional area appended their signatures to leasehold agreements including the divisional chief and Chief Nene Koreluy Libi Wornor respectively believing that the President will retrieve their lagoon for them.

Revealing how land is owned in Ada to the press, he said the Songhor lagoon is the property of the Tekperbiawe divisional council, and it can be alienated by the representatives of the 12 gates acting together, and no single person can alienate the Songhor lagoon to anyone.

He, therefore, gave the names of the 12 gates of Ada as Korle Agbom, Narh Amusu Wem, Agboku Wem, Kisser Wem and Tsirapah Wem among others.

Continuing, he said Tekperbiawe ownership of land is confirmed by the Government's white paper on the report of the Committee of Inquiry into the Affairs of the Ada-Songhor lagoon.

However, he said it is only when ownership of the Songhor lagoon reverts to them that they can deal with all prospective investors in the lagoon so as to ensure that Adas for that matter are treated as human beings and their needs catered for.

"We are committed to seeing to it that Songhor lagoon is developed and salt becomes the white gold of Ghana."

He expressed concern that the problem that beset our relations with successive governments with regard to lands has been that of impatience on the part of government to fully appreciate our land tenure system.

Finally, he appealed to the Government to listen to them and also take time to study their land tenure system so as to know how to deal with matters relating to the Songhor lagoon and their lands.