CPP demands fair play in State lands retrieval

The Convention People’s Party has backed President John Mills’ decision to halt the indiscriminate sale of State lands and bungalows to public officials in the name of the Accra Redevelopment Programme.

The Party however wants the Government to ensure fairness in this regard since the perceived illegalities were not solely perpetrated by members of opposition parties.

President Mills announced on Tuesday October 12, that he was going to retrieve State lands sold to former public officials who served under past regimes.

The exercise, according to the Information Ministry is to end gross abuse of the Accra Development Programme which was to give Accra a new face.

It follows months of agitations from some section of Ghanaians, who have variously accused the erstwhile NPP administration of selling state lands to cronies during their eight year-rule.

Speaking to Citi News, the CPP’s Spokesperson on Lands, Mr Kossi Dede, said President Mills’ effort to end reckless misuse and sale of state lands across the country is most appropriate.

“We in principle as party support the retrieval of lands that have been disposed off to private individuals. In the sense that, Government cannot justify that it does not need land as the years go by. Even during the NDC Government’s rule since 2009, the government has openly stated that it is giving back lands and has sold State properties in a number of regions to individuals including the State Housing Corporation buildings that have been put up in a number of Regions. We in the CPP, specifically in the Ho Central, wrote a letter protesting to the Regional Minister that it was improper for them to give out those houses and the properties in that area. So clearly, these are the contradictions” he noted.

Mr. Kossi Dede is however cautioning the NDC administration not to skew the exercise in a manner that suggests political vindictiveness against big wigs of opposition parties particularly the New Patriotic Party.

“So Government in a principled manner has the right to take back the lands but it must be principle and expose all those involved. But if it is dealing with it simply to make political capital and make others look bad, then it is unfair because clearly we are all aware of the divestiture implementation and how State lands and State properties were sold to private individuals since the PNDC and NDC regimes continuing to the NPP era”.

“If Government has now realized that it needs to take a principled position, then it must be fair and transparent to everybody. They must come out and show why they are taking the lands and for what use. They must also show the basis upon which only a certain period is been selected and not for instance going back to 1992 when we went back into constitutional rule. Other than that, we are only going to create acrimony in this country.

Meanwhile, a former Attorney General and Minister of Justice, in the NPP regime Nii Ayikoi Otoo, says if it is proven that the lands in question were sold illegally, the government reserves the right to intervene. He however says it is wrong for anyone to attack the beneficiaries for allegedly buying the lands at cheaper rates and urged Government to direct its anger at the Lands Commission. He urged beneficiaries of such assets to seek legal redress if they feel they are being cheated.