Gov’t not selling state lands – Jinapor dismisses claims of state capture

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has rejected claims that the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration is selling state lands to cronies.

At a presser on Wednesday, August 14, the sector minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, dismissed the accusations as baseless and surprising.

He specifically addressed claims concerning the disposal of public lands, including properties at Cantonments and the W.E.B. DuBois Centre, clarifying that these lands were not sold under the current New Patriotic Party (NPP) government.

Mr. Jinapor pointed out that the disputed properties, such as certain bungalows belonging to the Judicial Service at Cantonments, were sold in 2015 under the previous government, led by the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

According to him, the said bungalows were transferred to Frimps Oil Company Limited following approval by then-Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills.

“It is surprising that those who oversaw the sale of these properties would now accuse the Akufo-Addo government of state capture,” Mr. Jinapor stated.

Regarding the W.E.B. DuBois Centre, Mr. Jinapor reiterated that the Lands Commission, which manages public lands and land transaction records, has no pending applications for the transfer of this property.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the land in question remains in the name of the Dubois Centre,” he stressed.