Tamale youth bare teeth at chief over indiscriminate sale of lands

Tamale, the Northern Region capital, have protested against theTamale Dakpema chief over what they describe as indiscriminate sale of lands in the metropolis.

The angry youth marched to the chief's palace demanding that he rescind his decision over the sale of the Kaladan Parkto private developers.

This resulted in a verbal exchange with theentertainment chief of the Dakpema, Deema-Na Hafiz after he had attempted to deny them access to the Dakpema chief.

The Tamale Kaladan Park is a recreational facility where school children, football clubs and keepfit clubs in the metropolis use for sporting activities.

It used to be the official match venue for Real Tamale United (RTU) until the construction of the Tamale ports stadium in 2008.

Spokesperson of the angry youth Mohammed Zakaria told Joy News for more than three months buildings have taken over the Kaladan Park.

He said the Dakpema chief must"maintain the Kaladan Park...the benefits which the metropolis is getting in terms of sports  is far better than selling to private developers which in the long run benefit only some few individuals".

The Tamale Dakpema chief later in a meeting with the leadership of the youth said he is unaware of the development taking place at the Kaladan Park.

Last year government decided to release lands in the old Kaladan barracks to its original owners.

With that decision more than 300 retired soldiers and their families occupying the barracks were given eviction orders by the Northern Regional Office of the Lands Commission to vacate the barracks and make way for a redevelopment scheme to be implemented in the Tamale metropolis.

Also affected by the eviction were over 500 traders and people occupying the area around the Kaladan Park and some parts of Zogbeli and Aboabo.

Over 200 pupils of Al-Islahiyya Primary  and Tamale Metropolitan Assembly Girls Primary Schools were also left without a classroom in that exercise.

The notice of eviction letter, at that time dated January 29, 2013 and signed by Northern Regional Lands Commission Officer Justice Morgan, stated, “The Lands Commission, in collaboration with the Department of Town and Country Planning, the Tamale Metropolitan Assembly, relevant state and traditional institutions, is implementing a comprehensive redevelopment scheme on the old Kaladan Barracks.”

The reasons for the redevelopment scheme, as stated in the letter, were to realise the potential of Kaladan Barracks lands through proper planning, decongesting the central business district of Tamale, making the area a first-class commercial hub of Tamale and gateway to the metropolis as well as giving the city a facelift.

However, more than a year after that exercise that led to the sales of the lands by the Tamale Dakpemah to private developers no meaningful development that can impact on the development of the Metropolis has taken place, the Tamale Youth said.

The Youth also appealed to the Royal regent of Dagbon Kampakuya-Na Abdulai Mahamadu Andani and the Northern Regional coordinating council to intervenein ensuring that the Kaladan Park the only structure left out so far from the old Kaladan barracks is preserve for the youth for their sporting activities.