Land near Novotel hotel belongs to the state

Professor Kassim Kasanga, Minister for Lands and Forestry, on Wednesday said the land that used to house the Accra Metro Works, near the Novotel Hotel was owned by the state.

He said it was acquired by Government in 1894 by a Certificate of Title for African settlement. Government paid the full compensation for the acquisition and was, therefore, the holder of absolute title over the land.

Prof. Kasanga said this in an answer to a question posed by Mr Victor Okuley Nortey, NPP-Ablekuma Central, as to who the owners of the land near Novotel were.

He said the land acquired covered an area of 152 hectares and claimers, who were paid compensation were King Tackey, 91 pounds 3 shillings, King Dowuona 100 pounds 12 shillings and two-pence, Addi 12 pounds, Armah 16 pounds 15 shillings and five-pence and Lutterodt family, 65 pounds 6 shillings and two-pence.

Prof. Kasanga said Government by a lease dated February 2001 leased the land covering an area of 1.87 hectares to the Accra City Management Company limited for 50 years for the development of a Four-Star Hotel at an annual ground rent of 40 million cedis.

Nii Adu Daku-Mante, NPP- Klottey-Korle also asked the Minister what plans his ministry had to ensure that titles to expired leases of lands in an around the ridge area were restored to the original lessors.

Prof. Kasanga said the lands around the ridge area formed part of a larger land acquired by government by Certificate of Title and compensation was fully paid.

He said an amount of 400 pounds was paid to the Osu Stool in January 1895 for the Hausa reserve acquisition.

Since Government fully paid compensation for the acquisition, all previous interests and encumbrances subsisting in the subject land became extinguished and government was the holder of absolute title over the land.

Prof. Kasanga explained that because Government had used the land in the public interest and for the purpose it was acquired - that was for the development of first class low-density residential area for town planning purposes - the land could not be restored to its original lessors.