The Lands Commission under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has refuted claims purporting to suggest that the Commission offered to sell the residence of the Speaker of Parliament to a private developer.
Media reports on Monday, November 20, 2023 allegedly quoted the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin, while speaking at the ‘Speaker’s Breakfast Forum’ in Accra on Monday, as saying “Many of you don’t know that even the residence of the Speaker was almost sold to the private sector. Actually, it was given out.
“It was when they went to register that the Lands Commission identified that that was the residence of the Speaker. Luckily, I was inside, so it was saved.”
However, the Lands Commission in a paged statement signed by Benjamin Arthur (Acting Executive Secretary), refuted the claims purported to have been put forward by the Speaker of Parliament.
The Commission notes “ we wish to state emphatically, that at no point in time was the said property sold to a private developer by the Lands Commission.”
Here is a copy of the full statement from the Lands Commission:
RE: SPEAKER’S RESIDENCE SOLD TO PRIVATE DEVELOPER
The Lands Commission has become aware of reports in a section of the media suggesting that the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament’s official residence at Cantoments has been sold to a private developer.
The Commission wishes to state emphatically, that at no point in time was the said property sold to a private developer by the Lands Commission.
Records available to the Commission indicates that:
- The land in question was acquired in 1920 by a Certificate of Title, dated 7th June, 1920 for Government services.
- Since 2003, the land has always been used as the official residence of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament.
- By an application dated 15th November, 2022, and numbered PS/LS/002/12/22, Parliamentary Service applied for a Certificate of Allocation to regularise their occupation of the land, which measures approximately 1.66 acres.
- At its sixty-fourth (64th) Regular Meeting held on 22nd December, 2022, the Regional Lands Commission approved the application, after all statutory processes, including planning approval from the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly, had been duly concluded.
- On 14th February, 2023, the Lands Commission made an offer of allocation to Parliamentary Service.
- Parliamentary Service accepted the offer, and after paying the requisite fees, a Certificate of Allocation, dated 28th April, 2023 was issued to Parliamentary Service.
The Lands Commission is, therefore, unaware of any purported sale of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament’s official residence to a private developer.
The Commission wishes to reiterate its commitment to the prudent and efficient management of public lands in the national interest, and promote effective land administration that is anchored on the highest standards of integrity, transparency and candour.
