The coalition of La Youth Associations (COLA) is impressing upon President Nana Addo Dankwa AKufo-Addo to, as a matter of urgency, relieve the Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul, of his post.

Addressing a press conference at Labadi, Accra, yesterday, President of COLA, Augustine Nii Amoah Nai, intimated that the defence minister has shown what he described as ‘gross insubordination’ to the chiefs and people of La, following the illegal annexation of lands for the military.

The call, according to the president of the group, was due to the minister’s undue involvement in the ‘seizure Ga lands in Labadi.

He also added that their fury was due to the complete disagreed by the minister for the Ga traditional leaders.

Consequently, the president of COLA cautioned that failure on the part of the President to act on their request would compel them to resort to actions, which would not be in good taste for the current administration.

“Apart from the NPP government failing to redeem its pledge and also the total disregard to acting on the petitions sent by the chiefs ad people of La Traditional Area, we are again dismayed at the addition of salt to our injuries through the following actions of gross insubordination, not only to our eminent chiefs but to the entire Ga Dangme people. We have it on record that the Traditional Council members were first invited to a sod-cutting ceremony for the construction of a clinic at Tse Addo and as usual our authorities being noted for their apt in collaborating with the government in development readily waited in vain,” he lamented.

… as if the earlier insult was not enough, Traditional Authorities were invited for another sod-cutting ceremony, this time, for the construction of a drainage system at the Adiembra Electoral Area where our revered authorities were again subjected to cruel suspense unendingly,” Mr Amoah further said.

According to him, the upsurge of government’s interest in their beaches by using the army was causing mayhem in the La township.

The group also accused one Col Apenkwah of writing to the Lands Commission to ‘compulsorily’ acquire a piece of land in Labadi.

“Since when did the military start compulsorily acquiring lands in Ghana? Is it a military Galamsey or military landguardism? the group angrily asked.