Ga-Adangme group wants own region, MPs and MMDCEs

The Ga-Adangme Tahuloi Akpee (Ga-Adanmge Warriors and Defenders Association), has voiced out its displeasure on some national policies in the country which it says undermines its people, identity, and heritage.

The group representing natives of Ada, Yilo Krobo, Manya Krobo, Ningo, Agortsime, Osudoku, Shai, Ngleshie Alata, Gamashie, Kpone, Tema, Nungua, Teshie, La Osu, and Prampram at a press conference in Somanya on Saturday, outlined various issues it said must be urgently addressed by policymakers to restore the long-held cultural heritage of the Ga-Adangme people.

Addressing the media, Nii Korley Commodore, president of the Ga-Adangme Tahuloi who outlined the various concerns of the group, among others, said non-Ga-Adangmes will henceforth be barred from contesting Ga-Adangme parliamentary seats in future elections.

“We would like to make it clear to the NPP and NDC that a non-native of the Ga-Adangme will be allowed to contest any Ga-Adangme parliamentary seat in the forthcoming 2024 general elections,” he said emphatically, adding that the group is willing to engage the various political parties to ensure that this is done. “We are ready to work cordially with all the political parties to achieve this aim.”

The group which cautioned the parties not to underestimate its “noble demand,” cited the parliamentary representation of some ethnic groups in the country to buttress its point, noting that its “conscious tour of the entire country” revealed that all seats from those areas were being occupied by natives of those areas.

“Dagomba people are occupying all Dagomba seats in parliament. Akyems, Ashantis, Nzemas, Fantes, and all other tribes are also occupying their respective seats in parliament,” noted Nii Korley Commodore.

The appointment of MMDCEs was another thorny issue raised by the petitioners who believe the same consideration must be made in those appointments.

The group said, “Again, the metropolitan, municipal and district chief executive position on Ga-Adangme lands must be occupied by natives of Ga-Adangme as well.”

Creation of Ga-Adangme Region

The Ga-Adangme Tahuloi Kpee also argued for the creation of a separate region for the Ga-Adangme people. According to them, there are existing examples of other regions having unique regions for their people and believe the same must be done for the Ga-Adangmes.

“Learning from the shining examples of Ashanti, Bono, and Ahafo Regions, we would like to appeal to the government to change our name from Greater Accra Region to Ga-Adangme Region,” the group implored, adding that “the demarcations of the proposed Ga-Adangme Region should Yilo and Manya Krobo in the Eastern Region, Agortsime in the Volta Region and Awutu in the Central Region.

Shortage of Ga-Adangme Teachers

The Ga-Adangme Tahuloi Akpee also blamed the Ghana Education Service deliberately for the “artificial shortage” of Ga-Adangme language teachers in various schools in the Greater Accra, Eastern, and Volta Regions.

“Professional teachers who have been trained to teach Ga and Dangme languages at the various basic and senior high schools in Ga-Adangme communities are deliberately posted to faraway places to teach other subjects like English language or social studies,” the group alleged.

According to Nii Korley Commodore, this has resulted in the shortage of Ghanaian language teachers for schools within Ga-Adangme areas.

Other issues

Another concern raised by the group, was the Kotoka International Airport which it says must be reverted to its original name, the Accra International Airport since it does not see any “spectacular achievements of Major General Emmanuel Kwasi Kotoka to warrant his being placed on such a strategic national asset.”

Other concerns raised included political actors taking Ga lands and diverting them to private individuals, the scarcity of treated water on Kroboland despite two major water treatment plants in Kpong and Bukunor, and the reallocation of market spaces in the major markets in Accra including Makola, Mallam Atta, Kantamantom Nima and other major markets in Tema And Ashaiman to ensure that Ga-Adangme indigenes receive their fair share of these spaces.

Other dignitaries at the presser included Naa Borley Wutu II, Divisional Queen mother of Sakumono under the Nungua Traditional Council, Nene Agnmor Owuadjao II, who is president of the Ga-Adangme Divisional Chiefs and Nene Olepeme Sakinor I, Chief of Suisi Okuenya.