The La Traditional Council and the Member of Parliament for La-Dade-Kotopon, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, are demanding a halt to plans to redevelop the La Pleasure Beach following the demolition of structures at the facility.

The Council says the redevelopment should not proceed until proper consultations have been held with the traditional authorities and other affected stakeholders.

Addressing the media, the 4th La Shikitele, Nii Adjei Koofeh IV, said the Traditional Council was not formally notified before the demolition exercise, despite being a key stakeholder and traditional landowner.

He said the Council had since engaged the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), management of the Labadi Beach Hotel and National Security to discuss the matter and determine the way forward.

Nii Adjei Koofeh IV acknowledged that redevelopment of the facility could benefit the state if it resulted in greater value being generated from the site.

“It is for the benefit of the state if they can get more value from the place. So there is the need to redevelop for them to get more value,” he said.

However, he said the Council was unhappy with the manner in which the demolition and redevelopment process had begun.

“What we said at the meeting was that, firstly, we were very, very angry and unhappy about the approach because we were not engaged in the process,” Nii Adjei Koofeh IV said.

According to the La Shikitele, National Security explained during the engagement that not every operation or exercise could be disclosed in advance.

The Traditional Council, however, maintained that it should have been notified because of its position as a primary stakeholder and traditional landowner.

“The National Security said it is not every operation or exercise that people will be made to know. We told them that we have primary stakeholders as the landowners. At least, we should have been alerted, and we are not happy,” he said.

Nii Adjei Koofeh IV also took issue with reports suggesting that the Traditional Council had already been engaged over the redevelopment.

He said one publication on the project stated that the authorities would continue engaging the Council, which, in his view, suggested that consultations had already taken place.

“We expressed our displeasure to other state people that the published information and reporting showed that they've been engaging us,” he said.

“Because in one of the news publications that they spoke about the redevelopment, they said they will continue to engage us. So if you say you will continue to engage us, meaning you've already started engaging us, which wasn't true.”

Nii Adjei Koofeh IV said the Council subsequently raised the matter with SSNIT, which apologised for the lack of engagement.

He said National Security also apologised for not involving the traditional authorities before the demolition exercise.

“We spoke to SSNIT on that, and then they apologised. National Security also apologised for not engaging us before the exercise was carried out,” he said.

He said the discussions had now led to an understanding that the redevelopment process should follow the appropriate procedures and include proper consultations.

“On the way forward, they said they want everything to be done according to the process and proper arrangements. So the intended redevelopment that SSNIT wants to start should be put on hold,” he said.

Council to form committee

The La Traditional Council is expected to form a committee to examine the matter and review the redevelopment plans proposed by SSNIT.

Nii Adjei Koofeh IV said the committee would work towards finding an agreement that protects the interests of all parties.

“I am going to form a committee to go into the issues and then consider the plans that SSNIT has for the place for us to come to an amicable settlement that will lead to the satisfaction of all stakeholders,” he said.

He said the Council’s primary concern was to ensure that the interests of La were protected throughout the process.

“We told them that, as a state, we want our interests to be secured. That whatever belongs to La, there should come to La,” he said.

He also called for the interests of existing land users to be protected as the redevelopment plans are considered.

“The interest of the land users that were there should also be secured,” he said.

Council calls for consideration of affected traders

The Traditional Council is also demanding that traders who operated at the La Pleasure Beach be considered in the redevelopment plans.

Nii Adjei Koofeh IV said spaces should be provided for affected vendors once the project is completed.

“And also, after the redevelopment, vendors who were there should be considered,” he said.

He further called for measures to address the losses suffered by traders and other people whose businesses or property were affected by the demolition.

“And what has gone on and people have suffered losses, those people should be taken care of with regard to what they lost,” he said.

According to him, the stakeholders accepted these concerns during the discussions.

“They accepted all that. So we are now awaiting the formation of the committee,” he said.

The Traditional Council said it would continue to engage the relevant stakeholders and keep residents of La informed as the process unfolds.

Nii Adjei Koofeh IV said the Council would provide updates on the discussions and the eventual outcome.

“Once work starts and we go through the process, if need be, even as the process goes on, we will update the people of La on what is going on and then what the outcome will be,” he said.