The media’s claims that the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament‘s official Cantonments residence has been sold to a private developer have been sharply refuted by the Lands Commission.
In a formal statement made public on Monday, the Commission disputed any notion of a sale and provided clarification on the property’s status.
“At no point in time was the said property sold to a private developer by the Lands Commission,” the statement said.
The land in question was reportedly purchased in 1920 for government use, according to records accessed by the Lands Commission’s acting executive secretary Benjamin Arthur, who also signed the statement. Since 2003, the land has been the Speaker of Parliament’s official residence.
“Parliamentary Service sought to regularize their occupation of the land by applying for a Certificate of Allocation in November 2022.”
“After completing all statutory processes, including planning approval from the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly, the Regional Lands Commission approved the application in December 2022,” he said.
He claims that on February 14, 2023, the Lands Commission made the Parliamentary Service an offer of allocation.
Following acceptance of the offer and payment of the necessary fees, the Parliamentary Service received a Certificate of Allocation on April 28, 2023.
“The Lands Commission is unaware of any purported sale of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament’s official residence to a private developer. We are committed to the prudent and efficient management of public lands in the national interest,” Arthur emphasized.
Arthur continued, “Asserting commitment to transparency and integrity in land administration, “We promote effective land administration that is anchored on the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and candor.”
Meanwhile, the proposal to do away with the teacher trainee licensing exams was turned down by the Colleges of Education Teachers Association of Ghana (CETAG), which is led by National Democratic Congress (NDC) flagbearer John Mahama.
Prince Obeng Himah, the President of CETAG, stated that license examinations are important and shouldn’t be eliminated.
