Lands Minister has failed in tackling land grabs in Accra and galamsey – Buaben Asamoa

Yaw Buaben Asamoa, Spokesperson of independent presidential aspirant, Alan Kyerematen, has accused the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor of failing to protect state lands and also failed to address illegal small-scale mining (Galamsey).

To him, the failure of the Minister in these areas warrants his removal or resignation from office.

“The Minister of Lands has failed in land grabs in Accra and galamsey, the least we deserve is accountability, the least we deserve is the minister resigning,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 Saturday, September 14.

“It is the lack of accountability that is the problem. The Minister must render accountability by losing his office,” the former Lawmaker for Adentan added.

“The president must act, heads must roll, if heads are not rolling, we can infer that there is complicity,” he stressed.

His comments come after North Tongu lawmaker Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said that despite the revelations he has been making on state capture, politically exposed people are still acquiring public lands at “ridiculous” prices.

To him, state capture is real under the present administration.

“Let nobody think state capture is an exaggeration, it is real, and many people are recounting their ordeals…Politically exposed persons still capturing lands at ridiculous prices,” he said on the Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, September 14.

He further stated that “Natural resources belong to all of us, citizens must have a right not only to know how their state resources are being managed. Citizens also have the right to enjoy their properties with peace, serenity, and sanctity and they should not be under constant harassment and inundation as though we have become a banana republic where might is right. if you think you have political power then you just take whatever your eyes set upon, that can’t be tolerated, that can’t be a democracy.”

“Prime lands, at very jewel locations, are what have come under attack, cantonment, Labone airport …I am not impressed with the president’s statement. The statement is in bad faith, and prejudicial. You are calling for investigations, what do you? In all fairness to all sides, we are making a formal complaint to the IGP and you stop there, you don’t have to take sides and present the narration that you have been told by Superintendent Opoku as the fact. This statement has prejudiced the matter, any investigation will be useless, ”

The Presidency said it does not have any interest whatsoever in the piece of land in question.

“No officer, agent or assign has been directed to secure and/or interfere in any matter pertaining to GIS land within Cantonments; the said Chief Superintendent Ibrahim Opoku of the VVIP unit of the OOP did his professional duty by handing over alleged encroachers and suspects to the Cantonments Police Station when he chanced upon an altercation at the Cantonments barrier on his way from work; and

“The Chief Superintendent submitted his credentials at the police station, as he is enjoined to do, as part of standard operating procedure in such situations,” a statement issued on Thursday September 5 said.

In light of the above, the Office of the President said it has made a formal complaint to the Inspector General of Police to investigate the entire matter.

“Meanwhile we call on the general public to disregard as false any statements to the contrary,” the statement said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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