Sale of public lands has become a major source of corruption – Buaben Asamoa

Former Member of Parliament for Adentan, Yaw Buaben Asamoa has said the sale of state lands to private persons has become a major source of corruption.

He says that access to the lands has been corrupted and politicized heavily over the years.

“It has become a source of corruption, the lands are sold very cheap,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, August 3. He added, “Access to this market has been corrupted and politicized heavily.”

The spokesperson of independent presidential aspirant Alan Kyerematen further stated that reinvestment of the state lands may be necessary but the pricing and the process of selling them should be transparent.

“Let us put in place a transparent market pricing, when you have real prices you can do a transition that will create jobs elsewhere.

“Reinvestment may be necessary but in terms of pricing and access there must be transparency,” he said.

For his part, North Tongu lawmaker Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said that the Lands Commission is complicit in the sale of state lands.

He says there are unpatriotic elements in the Lands Commission who are giving evidence against the state in a case between the Ghana Prison Service and a private developer over the Borstal homelands.

Instead of aligning with the Ghana Prison service, they have gone to court to support the private person,

“Clearly the Lands Commission is complicit,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, August 3.

His comments come despite the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources refuting his claim that the current government is selling state lands to its cronies.

The Ministry stated that these allegations are entirely false and should be dismissed by the public.

Mr. Ablakwa has recently been vocal about the sale of state lands, including properties belonging to the Parks and Gardens, the Ghana Prisons Service, and others.

He also claimed that lands currently housing judges have been sold, forcing the judges to vacate their premises within a specified period.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday, July 16, and signed the sector Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Ministry asserted that the Akufo-Addo-led government has not sold any state lands.

The statement further clarified that any government lands currently under public scrutiny were sold during the previous administration of John Mahama, of which Mr. Ablakwa was a member.

The Ministry urged Ghanaians to disregard Mr. Ablakwa’s allegations, describing them as politically motivated.

“For the avoidance doubt the land occupied by the Du Bois Centre, the subject-matter of the Member of Parliament’s allegations, has neither been sold nor leased to any private entity.”

“From the foregoing, it is clear that the lands, the subject matter of the Member of Parliament’s allegations, were not sold and/or leased under the current administration, and the allegations of state capture are, therefore, false,” an excerpt of the statement said.

The statement added that President Akufo-Addo is committed to efficient and effective land administration, anchored on the highest standards of integrity.

“President Akufo-Addo is committed to an efficient and effective land administration that is anchored on the highest standards of integrity, transparency and candour, in the public interest. “

“The Ministry will, therefore, continue to work with all stakeholders to deliver an effective, transparent, responsive and orderly land administration which is above board and steeped in integrity,” the statement concluded.