Some Ga Dangme unions are calling on President Mahama to pause arrangements being made to give out coastal lands belonging to Ga Dangmes for a tourism project.

Over 243 acres of the coastline from Osu to Jamestown in Greater Accra have been earmarked to be developed for the project. The facility is expected to have tourist resorts with facilities such as hotels, casinos, shopping malls, office complexes and theme parks among others.

But the Ga Dangme Council, the Ga Dangme Muslim Council, and an alliance of Ga Dangme organisations located in Ghana and abroad have obtained signatures from over 600 Ghanaians and friends of Ghana located in Ghana and abroad, and written to the president to address the various concerns raised.

It will be recalled that another group called the Coalition of La Youth Association (COLA) organised a protest on the same issue a few weeks ago.

The latest petition by the Ga Dangme coalition is calling for 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.

In addition, the various Ga Dangme groups want the establishment of a Ga Dangme Development Trust Fund for 30 per cent equity of all Ga Dangme lands under private developments.

These funds will be used for developmental projects in Ga Dangme communities.


Below is statement from the coalition:

PROPOSED MARINE DRIVE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: REQUEST TO EXTEND NOTICE DEADLINE, HOLD PUBLIC HEARINGS, AND ADDRESS COMMUNITY NEEDS AND INTERESTS Accra, Ghana, December 1st, 2016 –


While we appreciate the Ghana Government’s effort to utilize the coastal land from Marine Drive in Osu to Baden Powell Hall in Ga Mashie to develop a tourism industry in Accra, we have legitimate concerns about the design of the proposed project, and the exclusion of some of the allodial land owners from discussions about the tourism project.

We are particularly concerned about the plan to acquire 243 acres of the land, and use it primarily for the tourism project while the neighboring communities of Osu, Ga Mashie, and Jamestown have dire needs for real affordable housing, schools, clinics, fish markets and related facilities, and a cultural and heritage centre.

Therefore, the GaDangme Council, the Ga Dangme Muslim Council, and an alliance of GaDangme organisations located in Ghana and abroad have obtained signatures from over 600 Ghanaians and friends of Ghana located in Ghana and abroad, and written to H.E. President John D. Mahama 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 increase access to and transparency of the project information to all stakeholders, and the people of Ghana;

2. Hold 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 do not outright sell 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 allodial 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; 5. Include local content, culture, images, and symbols in the proposed tourism project; recruit and hire indigenous artisans, contractors, and community members to participate in the project; and

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

GaDangme Development Trust Fund: In addition, consider as a priority institutionalizing 30% equity in all private developments on public lands acquired in the Ga and Dangme traditional areas to a GaDangme Development Trust Fund.

Funds accrued by the Trust will be used for development, education and promotion of GaDangme culture and heritage, including the welfare of our chiefs. The Government’s continual selling of public lands, acquired compulsorily from the Ga and Dangme people, to private interests without any benefits to the original allodial owners, is not only confrontational and insensitive but it does not bode well for peace in Ghana. It exacerbates the tensions and legitimate anxieties that have arisen about the handling of Ga and Dangme lands acquired by the Gold Coast and Ghana governments.

We hope that the Ghana Government can develop a blueprint on how to properly handle development issues and engage affected communities in a sensitive, open and consultative manner that is consistent with relevant provisions of the 1992 Constitution, existing statutes, rules and regulations, and principles embodied in the UN Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP); and based on mutual respect and cooperation. That will help promote good governance for the maintenance of peace and security in Ghana.

Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com