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Controversy Over State Land Acquisition by NIB boss Intensifies as Okudzeto Presents Evidence

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A growing controversy surrounding the acquisition of state land in Cantonments by Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, Director-General of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), has taken a new turn with fresh allegations and the release of official documents.

The issue first surfaced when Martin Kpebu, a private legal practitioner and member of the ORAL team, claimed during a TV discussion that Quaicoe had voluntarily returned a plot of prime land in Cantonments. Kpebu, speaking on TV3’s The Key Points, suggested that Quaicoe reached out to Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu and chairman of the ORAL team, with an offer to return the land in question.

However, Quaicoe swiftly denied these allegations, rejecting claims of illegal land acquisition and asserting that he had never approached any parties to negotiate the land’s return. He called the accusations politically motivated and an attempt to tarnish his reputation.

In response, Ablakwa has now challenged Quaicoe’s denials, presenting official documents from the Lands Commission which he says provide proof of the land transaction. Ablakwa, in a post on social media, asked a series of pointed questions:

Did Quaicoe acquire the Cantonments land for the discounted price of GH₵160,157?

Is he denying that the land’s market value is estimated to exceed $700,000?

Does he deny that parliamentary approval was bypassed in violation of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925)?

Did Quaicoe engage intermediaries to facilitate the land’s return?

Ablakwa argued that the deal represented a case of “state capture” and emphasized that the land’s true market value is conservatively estimated at GH₵10.5 million.

Documents from the Lands Commission, which Ablakwa shared, reveal that the 0.24-acre plot was leased to Quaicoe for a term of 99 years, with an annual ground rent of GH₵6,720. The lease agreement was signed by representatives of the Lands Commission, confirming the transaction. Critics argue that the land was sold far below its market value.

A central point of contention is the failure of the government to seek parliamentary approval for the rezoning and sale of the land, as mandated by the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act. Legal experts suggest this could render the transaction legally questionable.

Ablakwa has also revealed that intermediaries may have been involved in discussions about the land’s return, a claim that Quaicoe continues to deny.

The controversy has sparked renewed calls for legislative reforms aimed at preventing public officials from acquiring state property. Ablakwa is pushing for a Private Member’s Bill that would prohibit political appointees and politically exposed persons from purchasing state assets.

In a statement, he argued that the bill would address concerns of conflict of interest and strengthen accountability in public resource management. “This is why I get even more convinced every passing day that my Private Member’s Bill seeking to prohibit political appointees and politically exposed persons from buying state assets must be passed without further delay,” Ablakwa said.

The debate continues to unfold, with calls for transparency and legislative action intensifying.

Source:TheDotNews

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