JOYFM investigations have revealed that the former Minister of Works and Housing, Kwamena Bartels, sometime in the early part of this year, attempted to use his position as Minister to forcibly take 188 acres of land at Tema community 21 from a company known as SJR Investments. The company had, at the time, duly completed all required transactions with the Tema Development Corporation (TDC) to acquire the land on lease. The acreage, at the time was worth $820,000.
The first payment, as required by TDC at the time, had been paid. The company was going to build $27,000 to $33,000 middle-income houses for wokers. Mr. Bartels’ reason for his action, according to sources, was that the then Minister for Presidential Affairs, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, on assumption of office, cancelled all government contracts. This, in Mr.Bartels’ view, affected SJR Investments' contract with TDC.
JOY FM however learnt that SJR Investments’ contract with the TDC was signed after Obetsebi-Lamptey’s directive. Upon consultations, the company was informed that the directive did not affect its lease agreement with the TDC since it was not a government contract. Consequently the company can go to court to claim damages.
Meanwhile JOYFM was also informed that Mr. Bartels’ action regarding the SJR Investments lease agreement was intended to free the parcel of land in question to make it available to a company known as EURO-AM in Delaware, United States. EURO-AM is a company contacted by Mr. Bartels to undertake the housing project that SJR Investments had embarked upon.
However JOYFM also learnt that Mr. Bartels intended to use his position to obtain a Ghana government guarantee for EURO-AM, to enable it obtain a loan of $130 million from another company known as REDROOF in the UK, since EURO-AM did not have money. The loan would attract no charges and would be given at a zero interest rate. It was also to be paid back at the convenience of EURO-AM.
