A media tour organized by Coalition of LA Youth Associations to some LA lands, supposedly encroached by the Military was truncated by well-Armed Military Personnel on Wednesday Morning.
The military, in a Rambo style turned away the media bus and cars belonging to the coalition members, not sparing the police escort including the La-Dadekotopon District Commander and thus preventing them from reaching their destination to carry out their mission.
The tour was supposed to be an aftermath event of an earlier press conference held by the youth to register their discontent with the manner the military was encroaching their lands without compensation.
According to the Coalition of LA Youth Associations, the action of the military was an indictment on Ghana’s democracy and a further infringement on their rights.
They could not fathom why the security capos would decide to meet unarmed youth with guns and patrol cars with fury when they had no intension of causing any disturbance.
Press Conference
Addressing a news conference at La Faase Gardens under the theme; Looting of La Lands-The Turn of The Military In Contemporary Times, Augustine Nii Amoah Nai, the Coalition Youth leader said instead of according them the respect and the necessary compensations for the 798.72 acres given the military by Lamei in the year 1938, what they get is contempt treatment and gross insubordination without exception to the Mantse.
Despite a warning from a joint committee under chairmanship of Deputy Attorney General, Dominic Ayine, instructing the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to commence the formal process through Ministry of Defence for the compulsory acquisition of an additional 2, 456.55 acres and pay prompt and adequate compensation to the current owners of the land to create their security Buffer Zone, construction activities were still underway ‘defiantly’, he noted.
The youth leader indicated that their activities had aggravated to the extent that, their (Military) construction was destroying numerous peasant farm lands, depriving sources of livelihoods of old men and women who are mostly owners of such farms.
What makes it insulting to them, he said was the demolition of a shrine harboring the “kpletso Deity”, and an ‘annoying’ reply letter from the Military by the hand of one Colonel Gyekye to the Paramount Chief of LA, His Royal Majesty Dr. Nii Kpobi Tettey Tsuru III, that the chief erroneously sought to perceive the lands as La.
Asking them to desist from selling, as well as settling on any piece of land outside their jurisdiction of acquisition without consent, Nii Amoah Nai, demanded an unqualified apology from the Military authorities to the La Mantse and Lamei for affronting their dignity.
He again sought for a rendered account on the commercial usage of their lands the La Mantse while they go through the necessary compensation procedure through the Ministry of Defence for the compulsory acquisition of the said Land before any usage.
The youth Leader wherefore threatened on behalf of the youth to use all legitimate means to protect lives, dignity and properties if the ongoing ‘inhumane’ treatment is not stilled.
He extended an appeal to President John Mahama, the Commander in Chief of GAF to as a matter of urgency bring the military to order and relocate to an appropriate location.
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