Ga Chiefs Angry

Certain GA traditional leaders have expressed disappointment with public criticism over their call for the use of a Ga expression to welcome visitors into the country. They say there was no basis for the attacks since the leaders have not in any way erred by demanding their rights. In separate interviews, the leaders described the criticisms leveled against them as baseless saying their critics have failed to understand the issue and appreciate their concern. Ibrahim Adjetey Okertehiri of Ajei Gbeke We in the La community in an interview with DAILY GUIDE said �we the people of Ga have allowed foreigners to take over our land and everything and we are not happy with it.� He insisted that the call for a Ga expression to replace the Akan version currently displayed at the Kotoka International Airport was a genuine one since the facility which is the first point of call for visitors into the country is situated on Ga land. He noted that it is in the right direction to use the Ga expression for welcome �Mihere bo atuu� to greet visitors instead of �Akwaaba,� the Akan version of the word currently being used. In Daily Guide�s Tuesday edition, chiefs of the La Traditional Area appealed to government especially the Ministry of Tourism to use the Ga expression for �welcome� to greet visitors at the Airport instead of �Akwaaba.� The story attracted lots of comments from the public which were mostly not in support of the appeal made by the Ga Traditional Leaders. A section of the public described the call as trivial and asked that leaders of the Ga State rather address the issue of development in some Ga communities as well as sanitation. Some said the use of Akwaaba represented a national symbol of hospitality which has been widely accepted by the international community and since the airport was a national asset there was no need to make it look as if it was for a particular ethnic group. However the chiefs have described their comments as unfair.