Interior Minister debunks claim of 'state capture' by Dr. Bawumia's aide

Minister for Interior Henry Quartey has dismissed claims alleging that Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's senior aide, Professor Kwaku Appiah Adu, abused his powers to grab state lands.

Clarifying the events surrounding these claims, Henry Quartey stated categorically that the aide in question was not working for Vice President Dr. Bawumia at the time the issue arose.

According to him, allegations that Prof. Kwaku Appiah employed National Security operatives to demolish and fight for a parcel land with the Ghana Prisons Service are unsubstantiated and must be treated with the contempt they deserve.

The Interior Minister made this known on the floor of parliament during a committee sitting on Friday, July 5.

"Mr Speaker the gentleman in question is a distinguished man and for the records when this matter started, he was not working for the vice president. Mr Speaker, the fact that somebody is working for a politician does not restrict him or her from pursuing their private business so that has to be cleared. Mr Speaker, there isn’t anything to substantiate that national security operatives had been assigned or rather approached by the gentleman to go and demolish", Henry Quartey said.

News spread last week when the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, shared court documents alleging that Dr. Bawumia's aide was engaged in a battle with the Ghana Prisons Service over prime land located in Roman Ridge in Accra.

According to documents shared by the lawmaker, Prof. Appiah-Adu secured a judgment in the High Court against the state for a parcel of land that historically belongs to the Prison Service.

Referring to the matter as 'state capture', Mr. Ablakwa further revealed that Prof. Appiah-Adu used National Security operatives to demolish a fence constructed by the Ghana Prisons Service to secure their land, which was allocated to the service since June 28, 1950.

Meanwhile, the issue is currently in court, according to Mr. Ablakwa, with the Ghana Prisons Service pursuing an appeal.

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MAG/MA