Aerial shot of KIA Terminal Three | File photo
Member of Parliament for North Tongu Constituency, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has raised alarm over what he says is the sale of prime lands around the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) to a private company under some shady circumstance.
In his latest exposé named the Heaven Scandal and published via his social media handles on Monday, October 2, 2023, the opposition MP accused the President and the Minister for Finance of granting approval for the transaction led by the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) in deal on the blindside of parliament.
“On the blind side of Parliament and the Ghanaian people, President Akufo-Addo and Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta have granted approval for our prime airport lands to be handed over under the most shady of circumstances to a company known as Heaven Builders Limited,” he alleged.
He noted that the Managing Director of GACL, Mrs Pamela Djamson-Tettey in 2022 through a correspondence with the Managing Director of Heaven Builders offered some 38.14 acres of the said land at a total cost of US$85,021,340.00.
“In an outrageous sweetheart deal, the GACL assures Heaven Builders that they will become owners of 38.14 acres of prime airport land in the immediate environs of the Kotoka International Airport under the Airport City Phase 2 Project if they agree to carry out some dubious infrastructure such as roads and drains at a so-called cost of US$85,021,340.00.
“It is most instructive that the offer letter does not provide any independent verification mechanism for really assessing that any claim by Heaven Builders that they have invested US$85million in infrastructure is indeed accurate,” he stated.
The MP noted that the deal strangely failed to disclose how the supposed infrastructure cost was arrived at and that it is more shocking that the GACL would not be allowed to raise its own funding for the supposed development.
Beyond the initial deal, Mr Ablakwa as part of documents shared in his exposé said the private company has gone ahead to make a counter offer demanding for double the initial offer for a similar consideration.
“Ghanaians would be more devastated to know that because this is a behind the scenes sleazy sweetheart deal, Heaven Builders have made a counteroffer in a letter dated 23rd January, 2023 signed by Frank Owiredu-Affum, a Director, where they demand more land. (Letter attached)
“Heaven Builders is now asking for a massive 62.14 acres for the same consideration. This is almost double what they were initially offered.
“They are also demanding that the lease period be extended from 45 years to 99 years,” he stated.
While pegging the current commercial value of a land around the Airport enclave at an average of $4 million per acre, Mr Ablakwa noted that the offer given to Heaven Builders gives the company the chance of making in excess of US$152million profit at the expense of the state.
He further revealed that the situation around the deal has led to a sharp division within the management of GACL with some managers opposing the deal while others are vehemently pushing the deal through.
According to the MP, the managing director of GACL at one point was threatened with dismissal over accusations of attempting to slow down the deal.
He emphasised that the minority in parliament will demand an inquiry into the deal and thus warned officials involved in the matter to ready themselves to answer for their roles and actions.
Read the full publication below:
THE HEAVEN SCANDAL - PART 1
The Heaven Scandal is yet another classic manifestation of create, loot and share.
In recent days, leading members of the ruling New Patriotic Party have been publicly condemning the frightening levels of corruption, looting and plundering which is now the irrefutable legacy of the buccaneer Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration.
Alan Kyerematen has boldly called out the “unscrupulous apparatchiks” who have hijacked the NPP and are destroying Ghana.
Dr. Amoako Baah a few days ago confessed on TV3 that: “We have stolen everything.”
Dr. Arthur Kennedy in his latest epistle has decried the situation where “our resources are destroyed to enrich a few.”
Kennedy “Showdown” Agyapong has been captured in a viral video lamenting about how “NPP is looting Ghana as if there is no tomorrow.”
This latest exposé — The Heaven Scandal is an incontrovertible confirmation of the public confessions of these top NPP insiders but it also reflects a tragic reality about how there will be no country left if Ghanaians do not rise up to demand an end to the pillage.
It is in this regard that I salute and applaud the youth who embarked on the #OccupyJulorbiHouse demonstration a few days ago.
I also commend colleague NDC MPs, Civil Society Organizations, other associations and the vast majority of Ghanaians who will be participating in tomorrow’s #OccupyBoGProtest
Facts about the Heaven Scandal
On the blind side of Parliament and the Ghanaian people, President Akufo-Addo and Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta have granted approval for our prime airport lands to be handed over under the most shady of circumstances to a company known as Heaven Builders Limited.
In an intercepted offer letter dated December 16, 2022, Managing Director of the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL), Mrs. Pamela Djamson-Tettey conveys the offer and allocations to the Managing Director of Heaven Builders Limited. (Intercepted letter attached)
In an outrageous sweetheart deal, the GACL assures Heaven Builders that they will become owners of 38.14 acres of prime airport land in the immediate environs of the Kotoka International Airport under the Airport City Phase 2 Project if they agree to carry out some dubious infrastructure such as roads and drains at a so-called cost of US$85,021,340.00.
It is most instructive that the offer letter does not provide any independent verification mechanism for really assessing that any claim by Heaven Builders that they have invested US$85million in infrastructure is indeed accurate.
Strangely, no one knows how that infrastructure cost was arrived at.
Even more shocking is the decision by the buccaneer Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government to adopt this model of a generous crony giveaway to Heaven Builders when GACL could raise their own equity for infrastructure even from our local banks considering the fact that GACL are the direct owners of this prime 93 acre land.
Ghanaians would be more devastated to know that because this is a behind the scenes sleazy sweetheart deal, Heaven Builders have made a counteroffer in a letter dated 23rd January, 2023 signed by Frank Owiredu-Affum, a Director, where they demand more land. (Letter attached)
Heaven Builders is now asking for a massive 62.14 acres for the same consideration. This is almost double what they were initially offered.
They are also demanding that the lease period be extended from 45 years to 99 years.
Heaven Builders and their collaborators are perhaps the most powerful and courageous prime land looters this country has ever seen.
At current commercial value, an acre of prime land at Airport can be averagely worth US$4million. Under the initial offer to Heaven Builders of 38.14 acres, they stand to make in excess of US$152million.
If their current demand for 62.14 acres is approved, they walk away with a cool US$248.56million as they smile to the bank.
Obviously, the faceless mafia behind Heaven Builders must assume Ghana belongs to them — but their days are numbered.
My unimpeachable sources within GACL have informed me about how top management is sharply divided about this Heaven Builders Affair. Those against the deal are upset about the naked thievery and future consequences, particularly, when the next NDC administration decides to prosecute.
The tension over this mega airport prime land loot almost cost the current Managing Director, Mrs. Pamela Djamson-Tettey her job when she was threatened with dismissal after being accused of delaying the deal and refusing to succumb to the outlandish counteroffer of Heaven Builders. This is what led to the workers’ union issuing a strongly worded statement on August 16, 2023 alleging that there was a plot to remove the Managing Director and warning of dire consequences if that happened. (Statement attached).
When Parliament resumes in a few days, we shall be demanding an enquiry into this Heaven Scandal. We shall also summon all those officials involved in this secret land grab — they must be prepared to explain why they kept parliament in the dark and didn’t seek prior parliamentary approval.
This Mafioso-style looting of prime airport lands is another reason we must all be demonstrably angry at this regime, and ensure we show up for tomorrow’s OccupyBoG demonstration at 7am.
If this government’s predecessors had behaved this way, what will they have inherited?
I shall publish more damning documents on this Heaven Scandal on Wednesday October 4, 2023 in Part 2.
We shall stop the Airport prime land looters!
For God and Country.
— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) October 2, 2023
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