State lands beneficiaries list: Amewu’s action indiscreet – Kweku Baako

Editor-in-Chief of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako, has lambasted Lands and Natural Minister, John Peter Amewu for his indiscreet handling of the issue of the sale of state lands.

The Ministry has announced investigations into what it says is the fraudulent sale of state lands by the previous administration to cronies, with the Minister adding that the lands were given away like “kelewele” [fried pieces of plantain] without regard to due process.

The immediate past sector minister, Inusah Fuseini has also rebutted saying the NPP government sold out state lands like toffees.

A committee has been constituted to look into the land sale which took place from 2013 which the Minister has said were done without due process.

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has compiled a list of over 400 people including former Presidents, J.J Rawlings and J.A Kufour and former Chief Justice, Georgina Wood as part of high profile personalities who were allocated state lands by the previous government.

But all the three statesmen and woman have denied purchasing any state land.

Commenting on the issue on Joy FM’s News File show Saturday, Abdul Malik Kweku Baako chided the Minister fr rushing in going to town over the list when the committee investigating the matter had not finished its work.

“Mr Amewu, I’m wondering, when he saw the list did he look at it seriously? even the name Kufour there and the Jerry Rawlings, didn’t it strike him that hey let me take my time and look at this list carefully and see what’s going on. Didn’t he see Jake’s name there? Is he aware that Jake’s case went to court? Is he aware that the case begun in 2008, final verdict being in 2013 determined by a court. So perhaps he ought to take it out of the context of kelewele?

“He actually said there’s a committee working on this issue and a report will be submitted, if the report is not ready why go to town…what is the aim, what is the minister’s motive. Kalewele versus toffee who wins? I mean it’s incredible, it’s the same way these same politicians handled this ex-gratia thing.

The put it in the streets where they know they’l never win, the masses will win and then it turns around against them. This happens consistently, so we don’t invite people to think deeply about these issues, so to be honest with issue I don’t think the minister handled it well, if it’s the media that is doing is work that’s a different matter. If the media comes to you with some report, you say I’m studying it and I’ll come back later. But you don’t throw in this kalewele stuff so that you invite Fuseini[former Lands Minister] to come in with toffee. Now it’s a distortion we’re discussing, nobody is making sense. We’ve thrown out there emotions.”