Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has announced that the government has initiated a comprehensive review and audit of all public lands sold in recent years to ensure that proper procedures were adhered to.
During a visit from Vice President Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to the Ministry on Tuesday, January 27, the Minister emphasized that the aim of this initiative is to protect public assets and ensure that the state receives appropriate value for its investments.
He underscored that any transaction found to have breached established protocols or left essential procedures incomplete will be rendered null and void.
He elaborated that the review was instigated by increasing concerns that certain public lands, which the state had originally acquired for specific purposes such as construction and agriculture, had been unlawfully sold or mismanaged by officials responsible for their safeguarding.
He cautioned that officials found guilty of such misconduct would have their names published in national newspapers and face sanctions as a deterrent.
“We have commenced the review process. One of the issues that has come to our attention is that public lands acquired by the government for specific purposes, including agriculture, have been misused by those entrusted with their protection.
“We have formed a team led by my capable Deputy, and we received cabinet approval to tackle this issue. By the time we conclude our work, it will not even occur to any government official to misappropriate public lands, as we will ensure your name is published in every newspaper.
“All public lands that have been sold are currently under review to guarantee value for money, and a process audit has been conducted. Transactions that did not complete the necessary processes will be automatically annulled. We are committed to implementing this thoroughly to instill confidence in the people of Ghana that we will protect public lands,” he stated.
