GDLA Takes Action to Halt Gov’t Encroachments, Wanton Stealing of Accra Lands
The Ga Dangme Land Administration (GDLA) has issued a grave caution with an unwavering sense of urgency, demanding action against the blatant disregard for landed property rights which are due the original owners of the Great Accra region.
According to King Ayi Tunnmaa II, The Indigenous Chief of Defence of the Ga State, from the Tunnmaa Royal Dynasty (The Founders of Akra or Accra), who doubles as the President and founder of the GDLA, the government has been a major conduit of encroachment of Greater Accra Lands with total disregard for the right compensations and payment of proper royalties to the GDLA.
During a media interaction, he mentioned that GDLA has resolved to bring the Ga/Dangme people together as one unique people with a common cultural heritage.
King Ayi Tunnmaa II stressed that the GDLA has come to ensure and enforce a well-coordinated and negotiated land management policy for the Ga Dangme Communities to ensure their wellbeing and human capital development.
He said the GDLA is going after individuals, government institutions, and real estate developers among others to compel them in full force to do the right thing by paying the right royalties due to the owners of the Greater Accra Region.
The Indigenous Chief of Defence of the Ga Dangme Kingdom also called for the renewal of all land leases under the jurisdiction of the Ga state.
He said when affected, it will highly impact the titles of lands owned by a lot of individuals and businesses in Accra which will have to revert to the allodial owners for reacquisition.
He mentioned that a similar process is underway in the Ashanti Region under the Command and Authority of the Asantehene.
King Ayi Tunnmaa II also stated that his outfit, the GDLA has gathered documentary evidence dating back from 1876, 1894 and 1929 indicating the period government acquired most lands in Accra.
King Ayi Tunnmaa II also bemoaned the uncontrolled sale, fraudulent land acquisition and land guard phenomenon in Accra.
He blamed it on some unscrupulous Chiefs and traditional leaders who with their poverty-stricken mentality connive with government officials to perpetuate the wanton dissipation of Ga lands.
He disclosed that such acts fuels the continuous and numerous Chieftaincy disputes that has engulfed the Ga/Dangme Communities more especially the Ga State which for close to 20 years is engrossed with a dispute over the rightful Ga Mantse after the demise of the last substantive Ga Mantse, Boni Nii Amugi II.
He said it is part of the mission of the GDLA to resolve all land litigations, avoid Chieftaincy disputes as well as unite all indigenes of the Greater Accra Region.
He has also vowed that the GDLA is bent on recovering all its stolen lands and properties from the government, individuals and all unauthorized persons.
King Ayi Tunnmaa II is further demanding an immediate and unequivocal cessation of all encroachment activities in the greater Accra region.
“We are Gas and we deserve the benefits of our lands, our Region is not endowed with Gold, oil and diamond. What we have is our land and therefore, we should retain and benefit from the royalties of our gifted land. We are ready to pursue this at both local and international courts of justice if our demands for renewal of all land agreements are not met.
….Every region in Ghana uses the natural resources they have to develop their communities; In Greater Accra, we have less natural resources so our major resources are the vast landed properties and in order to develop, we need proper royalties and compensations from the government and all people occupying the lands of the Greater Accra Region,” he passionately reiterated.
He also revealed that the formation of the GDLA is backed by law as it functions as a Traditional Arbitration office, which is within the remit of the Alternative Dispute Resolution Act 2010(act 798).
“I support this with the lands Act 2020 (Act 1035) which states that “An action concerning any land or interest in land in a registration district shall not be commenced in any court unless the procedures for resolution of disputes under the Alternative Resolution Act 2010(Act 798) have been exhausted”.
Leave A Comment