LA youth accuse military of ‘stealing and selling’ their lands

Tension is gradually mounting in La Community of the Greater Accra Region over alleged military takeover of lands believed to be stool lands of the people of La, Today can confirm.

What seems to pose security threat if care is not taken, Today gathered, follows what elders and youth of La consider as the “unlawful and illegal acquisition” of their lands by the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) with the tacit support of some top officials of government.

At a press conference in Accra yesterday, elders of La Royal Stool and Coalition of La Youth Associations, clad in red armbands, called on President John Dramani Mahama, Minister of Defence, Minister of Interior, Chief of Defence Staff, Chief Justice and the Ga Traditional Council to swiftly call the military to order so as to avert any possible bloodbath in the area.

Speaking with an angry tone, leader of the Coalition of La Youth Associations, Mr. Augustine Nii Nai, who read the statement, on behalf of the youth and elders of La, accused GAF and central government of allegedly stealing their lands.

The obviously aggrieved youth and elders of La consequently, gave a one week-ultimatum to the military and central government to return all parcels of land that have allegedly been seized by the military.

The decision, according to him, was as a result of the failure of President Dramani Mahama, Minister of Defence together with the Minister of Interior to respond to the series of requests residents of La had made with regard to the illegal acquisition of their ancestral lands by the military.

He fumed that at a recent press conference held in March 2016, La Mantse took the matter to the court to seek certain claims, of which an interlocutory injunction was placed on the development of the said lands.

He noted that it was becoming irritating for the military to ignore the court order.

According to him, lands that were given out for military purposes were currently being sold to foreign companies and private businessmen without regard to the owners of the land.

Nii Nai also accused the military of “fomenting acts of terror and brutalities against the local people,” adding that the military being an epitome of god character, integrity, honesty and a paragon of discipline, was gradually waving into land politics.

He cited an instance in March 2016, where the military allegedly tried to kill residents of La when they attempted to stop them from further seizure of their lands.

Nii Nai recounted that “In 1938, the colonial government acquired 798 acres of land for the construction of an Aerodrome which later became a hospitality facility for the military during the 2nd World War.

But, according to him, in a display of solidarity with government after independence and in cooperation with the call to nation-building and as a kind gesture, the progressive people of La Dadekotopon sacrificed huge portions of their lands for the promotion of agriculture and education.

He said it was the La people who gave lands for the construction of the George Padmore Research Farm, the Amrahia Diary Project and the Animal Research Farm.

In the field of education, he claimed that lands were also leased for the building of the University of Ghana, the University of Professional Studies, the Institute of Local Government Studies, the Accra College of Education and the Presbyterian Boys Secondary School.

“In the face of these generous contributions we have made to the development of this nation without payment of royalties to the traditional council, our farmers, spiritual leaders and young men and women are oppressed and treated with contempt and gross insubordination,” he decried.