General News of Monday, 7 February 2005

Source: FREE PRESS

NPP To Repeal PNDC LAW 287

Reports reaching the FREE PRESS suggest that the ruling NPP would by the end of next month start the process of repealing the Provisional National Defence Council (PNDC) law 287, which gave the Government the mandate to hold Songhor Lagoon lands in trust for the people of Ada in the Greater Accra Region.

The four clans present at the meeting are Lomobiawe, Tekperbiawe, Adebiawe and Dangwebiawe, who were led by the paramount chief of the Ada traditional area, Nene Abram Karbo Ankuaku lll, where the then mines minister, Cecilia Bannerman, and Mr Alan Kyeremanten, trade and industry minister, assured the four clan heads of Government?s intention to release the lands to them in fulfilment of President Kufuor?s promise he made on December 1, 2004 that Government would not interfere with land rights of the people it governs.

It said modalities were being fashioned out in such a way that when the lands are released to the clan heads they would be able to develop it in partnership with investors as well as enable them deal with encroachers.

However, when FREE PRESS contacted the chiefs, they confirmed the meeting was held between them and the two ministers.

When the FREE PRESS managed to get Nene Korle lll to speak on the issue, the clan head of Tekperbiawe, who is also the chairman of the vetting committee of the Ada Traditional Council, he noted that Government has given the assurance that it would release land to the clan heads and would assist them to develop it with foreign investors to avoid the situation that occurred in the lease agreement between the local people and Vacuum Salt Company.