General News of Friday, 12 March 2021

Source: Victor Morrison, Contributor

La Stool Traditional Council angry over annexation and encroachment of lands by military

The Council wants their lands released to them The Council wants their lands released to them

The La Stool/Traditional Council have resolved to embark on series of demonstrations and other lawful acts to recover their lands, should President Akuffo Addo, the Commander in Chief of the Ghana Armed  Forces fail to call the military to order.

The La Stool/Traditional Council are raising concerns over what they say are wanton annexation and continuous encroachment of their lands by the military, contrary to arrangements in place to release their lands to them.

The La Stool/Traditional Council have held negotiations with the government, represented by the former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, over La lands being annexed and encroached by the military. It was pronounced at the end of the negotiations in November last year in the presence of the military and senior officials of the Lands Commission, who were parties to the negotiations from the onset that parts of the lands should be released to the La Stool and that the parts required by the military should be acquired through due process.

The parties were asked to exercise restraint by halting all activities on the land until the agreement is firmed up and boundaries of the La Stool and the military is delineated.

Speaking to the media on a tour by members of the La Traditional Council, the Trustees of the East Dadekotopon Development Trust, and the Coalition of Associations in La (COLA) to see for themselves activities of the military on the lands, Nii Adjei Koofeh IV (La Shikitele) speaking on behalf of the La Stool / Traditional Council,  said the current happenings are very injurious to their position. 'Their (the military's) actions are quite disturbing to the La Stool. We have been very magnanimous to the State, most prime lands of La have been used for purposes of national interest. The military has taken most of our land without due process and proper documentation. All that came up during our deliberations at the ministry, so if they intend to do something, they should follow due process. We expect the military to be law abiding and comply with the tenets of the constitution in order not to bring the name of their Commander in Chief into disrepute'.