La Shikitele, Nii Adjei Koofeh IV
THE LA Traditional Council has challenged the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) to produce official documents proving ownership of the disputed La beachfront land, and has threatened legal action.
This comes after SSNIT, which owns the Labadi Beach Hotel, claimed the land was acquired by government in 1967. However, the La Traditional Council maintains that the beachfront belongs to La and has demanded an immediate halt to SSNIT’s redevelopment plan.
Speaking at a press conference yesterday, the La Shikitele, Nii Adjei Koofeh IV, said SSNIT’s claim cannot hold when the Council has been in effective control of the beach for years.
“SSNIT claims it was given to them for the purposes of the hotel, and that includes the beach. But this is now coming up because over the years we have been in control of the beach, and all those who operate there pay rent to us,” he said.
He disclosed that even Labadi Beach Hotel pays rent to the Traditional Council for the portion it uses at the beachfront. “The Labadi Beach Hotel even pays rent to us for the portion that they use at the beachfront. They understand that in 2022 they wrote to us, for us to even give them a lease for about 20 years,” Nii Adjei Koofeh IV stated.
According to him, the Council’s records show 85 vendors who pay rent to them, aside from the hotel, proving their ownership and control.
“All along we have been in control. Our records show we have 85 vendors who pay rent to us aside the hotel. So we think the land is for us, but they are claiming by force that there was an acquisition,” he said.
He added that the matter will be determined by a joint committee set up to look into the dispute, and that all claims must be justified with valid documents. “That is our position on the status of the land, and we also said that when the committee starts work, all claims to the land should be established and justified with valid documents,” he emphasised.
Redevelopment on Hold
The La Shikitele, Nii Adjei Koofeh IV, also announced the suspension of plans by SSNIT to redevelop the demolished La Pleasure Beach following the October 1 demolition exercise.
The decision was made public by the Council after a high-level meeting involving SSNIT, the management of Labadi Beach Hotel, the Minister for Local Government, the Greater Accra Regional Minister and other stakeholders.
He disclosed that SSNIT and National Security have since apologised for not engaging the traditional authority officially before carrying out the exercise.
According to him, all parties have agreed that the intended redevelopment should be halted pending due process, with a committee to be formed to consider the state’s plans and reach an amicable settlement.
Speaking on the rationale behind the demolition, La Shikitele indicated that “upon our engagement with them, they said the demolition is for the benefit of the state if they are able to get more value from the place, so there is the need to redevelop in order for them to get more value.
“What we said at the meeting was that, firstly, we were very, very, aggrieved and unhappy about the approach because we were not engaged. We told them that we are primary stakeholders as the land owners. At least we should have been alerted.”
Nii Adjei Koofeh IV said the Council also disputed SSNIT’s claim that it had been engaging them on the redevelopment.
“We express our displeasure about the published information purporting to show that they’ve been engaging us… They said they will continue to engage us. So if you say you will continue to engage us, as meaning you already started engaging us, which wasn’t true,” he stated.
“We told them that as the La state, we want our interest to be secured. That whatever belongs to La should come to La. The interest of the liabilities that were there should also be secured. And also, after the redevelopment, vendors who were there should be considered,” he said.
Indigenes of the La Traditional Area have expressed deep displeasure following the demolition of structures housing businesses on October 1, an exercise they say has resulted in loss of properties and skyrocketing unemployment.
The demolition, reportedly carried out by SSNIT with support from National Security, affected hundreds of vendors, artisans, food sellers and other small business operators who depended on the beachfront for their daily livelihood.
Many say they lost refrigerators, cooking utensils, furniture, and other trading equipment, with no prior notice to salvage their wares. For many families in La, Laboma and its environs, the beach resort was more than a leisure destination — it was an economic hub that provided jobs for the youth and income for market women.
With its demolition, dozens have been rendered unemployed, worsening the economic hardship in the community.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke