The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor, has said that recent allegations of state lands being captured by persons linked to the ruling government are politically motivated.
In a press briefing at the Ministry of Information on Wednesday, August 14, 2024 Mr. Jinapor addressed these accusations head-on, providing detailed clarifications and reiterating the government’s commitment to transparency and accountability in the management of public lands.
Mr. Jinapor categorically described the allegations as baseless, emphasising that they are politically motivated attempts to undermine the government’s efforts.
He cited specific cases that have been at the center of these allegations, including the controversy surrounding the land that previously housed the Bulgarian Embassy in Accra.
This property, he clarified, was acquired by the state in 1920 and subsequently leased to a private individual in 1977, long before the current administration came into power.
The minister underscored that the government had no involvement in the subsequent transaction between Mr. Leighton and the Bulgarian Embassy, nor in the demolition of the embassy building.
“The government of Ghana had absolutely no role in the demolition of the Bulgarian Embassy,” Mr. Jinapor asserted.
He further explained that the compensation owed to the Bulgarian government for the demolition would not be borne by the state, but by those directly responsible for the incident.
The minister said this, dispelling any notion that the government was using public funds to settle matters arising from private dealings.
Mr. Jinapor also addressed similar allegations regarding public lands at Roman Ridge, the Parks and Gardens site and Judicial Service Bungalows located in Cantonments. He noted that these properties were either sold or leased out long before the current administration assumed office.
“The records are clear,” he said, and added that “the very individuals who supervised these transactions during their time in office are now the ones turning around to accuse this government of the same actions they orchestrated.”
The Minister detailed the policy measures implemented by the government to protect public lands from mismanagement and unauthorised transactions.
He continued that central to these efforts is a policy directive issued on August 17, 2021 which mandates that all transactions involving public lands must receive prior approval from the Office of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.
This directive, according to Mr. Jinapor, is a crucial step in ensuring that the President of the Republic, who holds these lands in trust for the people of Ghana, can fulfil his constitutional duties with full awareness of all transactions.
“The directive is clear and unambiguous. No public land can be sold, leased or otherwise disposed of without the explicit approval of the Ministry,” Mr. Jinapor stated.
He added that any deeds executed without this approval would be considered void and several such leases have already been reversed, particularly in the Northern Region, as part of the government’s broader efforts to reclaim public lands.
Additionally, the Ministry has established a Public Lands Protection Team, which works in collaboration with the Lands Commission and the Ghana Police Service to prevent encroachments and recover encroached lands.
This team, he said, is actively monitoring and intervening in cases where public lands are at risk of being unlawfully occupied or sold.
Mr. Jinapor also provided updates on the ongoing digitalization of land records, a key initiative aimed at enhancing transparency and efficiency in land service delivery.
He noted that the government is aggressively pursuing the digitalization of records at the Lands Commission, which will make all land transactions easily traceable and accessible to the public.
“Digitalization is at the heart of our strategy to ensure that land transactions are conducted in a transparent and accountable manner,” he said.
The Minister emphasised that the digitalization process will help curb the issues of double sale of lands, fraudulent transactions, and the overall bureaucratic inefficiencies that have plagued the land administration system in Ghana for decades.
Furthermore, the Minister highlighted the government’s proactive approach to expanding the public land estate through strategic acquisitions.
He mentioned ongoing efforts to acquire lands in areas such as Afienya-Dawhenya for the development of an industrial enclave and in Tamale for the expansion of the University for Development Studies.
These acquisitions, he explained, are part of the government’s long-term plan to support national development goals by ensuring that adequate land is available for key infrastructure projects.
In his concluding speech, Mr. Jinapor reaffirmed the government’s unwavering commitment to managing public lands with the highest standards of integrity and transparency.
He assured the public that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, under the leadership of President Akufo-Addo and Vice President Dr. Bawumia, will continue to safeguard public lands against any form of mismanagement or illegal acquisition.
“The protection of public lands is not just a matter of policy; it is a matter of principle,” Mr. Jinapor declared.
He called on all stakeholders, including the media, civil society organizations, and the general public, to support the government’s efforts in ensuring that public lands are used judiciously and in the best interest of the people of Ghana.
