New moves to sell parts of Achimota forest – Ablakwa claims
The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has disclosed that the selling of some part of the Achimota Forest has begun.
According to him, this forms part of state capture of lands.
“There has been a resumption of sale of portions of the Achimota Forest,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, August 3, as reported by 3news.com.
Okudzeto Ablakwa also accused the Lands Commission of participating in the sale of state lands.
In a legal battle involving the Ghana Prisons Service and a private developer over the Borstal Home lands, he claimed that unpatriotic individuals in the Lands Commission are testifying against the government.
The MP said these persons have sided with the private individual in court rather than the Ghana Prisons Service.
“Clearly the Lands Commission is complicit,” he said on the Key Points on TV3, the report added.
The former Deputy Minister of Education’s claims follows the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources refuting his claim that the current government is selling state lands to its cronies.
According to the ministry, the public should reject these claims since they are wholly untrue.
Ablakwa has recently become vociferous in his opposition to the selling of state-owned land, including assets held by the Ghana Prisons Service, Parks and Gardens, and other organizations.
Additionally, he asserted that properties on which judges were presently residing had been sold, compelling the judges to leave their buildings within given time frames.
But the ministry, in a statement signed by sector minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, and issued on Tuesday, July 16, said the Akufo-Addo-led administration had not sold any state lands.
It went on to say that any publicly scrutinized government lands were sold off when John Mahama led the previous administration, of which Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa was a member.
The ministry called Ablakwa’s accusations politically motivated and advised Ghanaians to ignore them.
“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 went on to say that President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is dedicated to effective land administration that is based on the greatest moral principles.
“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,” it concluded.