The Minority in Parliament has accused the Akufo-Addo government of failing to publish a comprehensive list of public lands in the country, allegedly due to fears of exposing their misappropriation of these assets.
The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, announced at a press briefing on Wednesday that the government is working on compiling and publishing the list of public lands to promote transparency and accountability in managing national assets.
Addressing journalists, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa strongly criticised the government’s delay in disclosing the status of public lands.
He condemned the government’s inaction, stating that they have had over two years to compile the list since Parliament’s request.
Ablakwa accused the Lands Ministry and Commission of dereliction of duty and complicity in the alleged land grab and state capture.
“Now, you will recall that a couple of weeks ago, when the Assurances Committee which I chair, took a strong view of this situation and invited the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, he once again failed to produce a list and was making excuses that it is such an onerous task, they are still compiling the data, and the Lands Commission is struggling and we should give them time.”
“What is happening in this country? We have come to the firm conclusion, and a very informed one, that the Akufo-Addo Bawumia government is deliberately refusing to disclose the status of all public lands in our country because they are complicit, because they know that when the full facts emerge, they will be exposed for the massive land grab, the unconscionable state capture that they have engaged in.”
“So, we condemn the government’s inability for more than two years since parliament demanded a compilation, a disclosure, the full data of all public lands. It is totally unacceptable, and it shows that the Lands Ministry, the Lands Commission, they have derelicted, they are not properly carrying out their constitutional mandate, but even worse, they are clearly complicit, and that is why they are evading accountability.”
The Minority demanded that the government publish the list of public lands by the end of the year, citing concerns that public lands are being sold as private lands without benefiting the national treasury.
