La Traditional Council opposes redevelopment of La Pleasure Beach without consultation

The La Traditional Council and the Member of Parliament for La-Dade-Kotopon, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, have called for the suspension of plans to redevelop the La Pleasure Beach until all key stakeholders have been properly consulted.

The call follows the demolition of structures at the beach, which the Council says was carried out without prior notification to the traditional authorities.

Speaking to the media, the 4th La Shikitele, Nii Adjei Koofeh IV, said the Council, as a traditional landowner and major stakeholder, should have been informed before the exercise.

He said the Council has since held discussions with the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), management of the Labadi Beach Hotel and National Security over the matter.

While acknowledging the potential benefits of redeveloping the facility, Nii Adjei Koofeh IV criticised the manner in which the process was initiated.

“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 displeased that it was not involved before the demolition.

“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.

He said National Security explained that some operations could not be announced beforehand, but the Council insisted that, as the traditional landowners, they deserved prior notice.

“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.

The La Shikitele also rejected claims that the Traditional Council had already been consulted on the redevelopment.

He said reports suggesting that engagement with the Council would continue created the impression 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.”

According to Nii Adjei Koofeh IV, SSNIT subsequently apologised for the failure to engage the Council, while National Security also expressed regret over the lack of prior consultation.

“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 Council now expects the redevelopment process to follow the appropriate procedures, with the planned project placed on hold until consultations are completed.

“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.

The La Traditional Council is expected to establish a committee to examine SSNIT’s redevelopment proposals and help find an acceptable resolution.

Nii Adjei Koofeh IV said the committee would assess the plans and work towards an agreement that protects the interests of all stakeholders.

“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 stressed that protecting La’s interests would remain a priority 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 further called for the interests of people who previously occupied or used the land to be taken into consideration.

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

Council wants affected traders considered

The Council is also advocating for affected traders to be incorporated into the redevelopment plans.

Nii Adjei Koofeh IV said vendors who operated at the beach should be given consideration and provided with spaces when the redevelopment is completed.

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

He also called for appropriate measures to address the losses suffered by traders and other affected persons following 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 involved in the discussions accepted the concerns raised by the Council.

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

The Council said it will continue engaging the relevant authorities and keep residents of La informed as discussions on the future of the beach progress.

Nii Adjei Koofeh IV said updates would be provided as the consultation process develops and decisions are reached.

“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.