Defence Minister misled the public when he linked Mahama to military land – Ayine

A former Deputy Attorney General, Dominic Ayine has taken on Minister of Defence Dominic Nitiwul for “misinforming” the public as he linked former President Mahama to a parcel of land previously owned by the military.

The Defense Minister had accused former President John Dramani Mahama of spearheading the purchase of lands belonging to the Ghana Armed Forces.

Speaking at the meet the press series earlier Thursday, Dominic Nitiwul said the former president together with the office of the then Attorney General masterminded the sale of the lands.

But Dominic Ayine told 3FM News on Thursday that what the minister said has no basis.

“It is unfortunate he will make such misleading statement,” he pointed out.

According to him, if the minister had bothered to contact the Ghana Armed Forces, he would have been given a proper briefing as to what transpired with reference to the military’s directory.

The former deputy Attorney General recalled that a group of Ga natives went to court over the said land arguing that it should be returned to them because the military is not using it for the purpose for which it was acquired.

Judgment was given in their favour, Mr. Ayine said, and wondered if the Defence Minister was implying that the then “Attorney General should have disobeyed the court order”.

He said following the judgment, the armed forces wrote to inform the AG’s office about the development and were asked if they had money to re-acquire the land for a defence building as was initially planned but they were not in a position to buy it.

He said it is, therefore “grossly misleading for the Defence Minister to be pointing fingers at the previous government”.

He insisted that former president Mahama has not taken any land from the Ghana Armed Forces.

Mr. Ayine said he will “issue a statement to outline the facts and dispel the misinformation” put out by the minister after he has personally listened to what Nitiwul actually said.