[ 2016-11-22 ]

Heavy military presence as Ga Dangme youth demonstrate
Hundreds of youth poured onto the streets of La in
Accra on Tuesday, November 22, to protest against
the taking over of Ga lands by government and the
Ghana Armed Forces (GAF).

In addition, the youth are also demonstrating
against possible sale of over 200 hectares of
coastal land stretching from Osu to Jamestown to
foreigners for development.

Accra FM’s Nana Amoako Gyampah reports that the
protestors were clad in red clothes with red
armbands. The protesters carried placards.
“Leave our lands”, “Government rules on Ga
lands”, “No lands, no votes”, “Different
ministers kill us and take our lands”, “Give
our lands back” and “NDC government can’t
fool us again” were some of the inscriptions on
the placards.


Led by the Coalition of La Youth Association
(COLA) with some youth joining from Osu, La,
Teshie and Nungua, the demonstrators said they
would march through the principal streets of the
capital and end at the Obetsebi Lamptey Circle
under the guidance of the police.


Meanwhile, Class FM’s Kojo Appiah Quainoo
reports of heavy military presence with barricades
around the 37 Burma Camp main entrance.


He said there were armed military personnel on the
streets from the 37 Military Hospital to La Trade
Fair. The same situation was witnessed at the
Southern Military Command up to Tebibiiano at
Teshie, with the soldiers positioned about 50
metres apart.

At Zenith College behind the Trade Fair Centre,
the military personnel were also spotted in full
gear.


Upon interaction, some of the personnel indicated
that they were undertaking an exercise which was
not related to the ‘Ja Agba Bo’
demonstration.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the COLA, Augustine Nii
Amoanai, has told Class News that Ga Dangme
traditional priests and priestesses are taking
part in the protest as the Ga Dangme community
wants government to “halt the Accra Marine Drive
project until government extensively engages
indigenes of the target communities whose
livelihoods may be affected”.

The lands earmarked for the project is expected to
have tourist resorts with facilities such as
hotels, casinos, shopping malls, office complexes
and theme parks among others.

It will be recalled that another Ga Dangme group
had started gathering signatures though change.org
to petition President Mahama and other
stakeholders to halt the project.

They raised concerns over the possible sale of
lands belonging to Ga Dangmes and displacement of
residents from the abode they have occupied for
years.

“We are concerned about the Ghana government’s
plan to sell 243 acres of land to private
investors for a tourism project without adequate
consideration of the needs of the neighbouring Ga
and Osu communities for land for housing, schools,
clinics, community facilities, a cultural and
heritage centre, and a protected open park space;
the environmental impact on marine habitats for
wildlife species such as turtles and birds along
the Atlantic Coast; environmental sanitation due
to the pollution of the Atlantic coast beach areas
by plastics and other waste; and the need for a
more comprehensive tourism project that takes into
account and preserves and showcases the history,
traditions and cultural heritage of the Ga, Osu
and Jamestown communities,” the group
indicated.

Additionally, the disgruntled members of the group
feel government and stakeholders have been
“insensitive in handling of Ga and Dangme land
issues”.

They are, therefore, asking government to:

1. Extend the deadline of the notice for
submission of claims, as specified in E.I. 59
STATE LANDS – ACCRA-OSU - (SITE FOR MARINE DRIVE
INVESTMENT PROJECT) INSTRUMENT, 2016, to June
30th, 2017, and make the notice, written project
proposal, and environmental impact analysis report
available at relevant government offices and
websites to increase access to and transparency of
the information to all stakeholders, and the
people of Ghana;

2. Hold a series of public hearings in the Ga, Osu
and Jamestown communities to properly inform
community members via written, verbal, and visual
information about the Marine Drive Project, and
elicit input and address concerns;

3. Only lease and not sell outright any public
land to foreign investors, in accordance with
Article 266 of the 1992 constitution. In addition,
under Article 20 (1) of the 1992 constitution, the
government can only acquire privately held land
from allodia owners for public benefit and not for
sale to private and foreign investors.

4. Scale back the extent of the acreage for the
Marine Drive Project, and instead develop the
remaining acreage for the indigenous Osu and Ga
peoples to meet their dire communal needs of
up-to-date and real affordable housing, schools,
clinics, fish markets, cold storage facilities,
smokehouses, landing beach, and boat launching
ramps, and a cultural and heritage centre;

5. Create a protected open park space for coastal
and marine habitat purposes, and community and
public use;

6. Consider the environmental impact of the
project including climate change, the risk of
earthquakes, and possible tsunamis along the
coastal areas, and the urgent need for improved
environmental sanitation in Accra and along the
beach areas;

7. Include local content, culture, images, and
symbols in the proposed tourism project; recruit
and hire (give first opportunities to) indigenous
local architects, artisans, contractors, and
community members to participate in the project;
and

8. Consult and liaise with a committee comprising
representatives of the Ga, Osu and Jamestown
Traditional Councils, GaDangme organisations, and
community leaders to elicit their input and
feedback to ensure that they are informed about
developments and progress of the Marine Drive
project.

Source - Classfmonline

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