Former President John Mahama
Defence Minister Dominic Nitiwul has disclosed how some appointees in the erstwhile Mahama-led National Democratic (NDC) administration grabbed military lands around Burma Camp in Accra.
The minister said lands that were supposed to serve as buffers between the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and civilians were appropriated by politicians, led by former President John Dramani Mahama, who was the Commander-in-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces.
At the ‘Meet The Press’ encounter at the Ministry of Information yesterday, Mr. Nitiwul – who is the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bimbila – said it would be in the interest of the former president and all those who had acquired the lands to return them because they (lands) are even under dispute.
“I want to advise the former president that he should look for a place and leave because it’s a dent on him,” the defence minister advised, adding, “It’s not good for him. He was a president and he should leave there.
“I am talking about the former president, John Mahama. I will say no more, but I am very disturbed about this. It is happening in Tamale; it is happening in Takoradi. People at Lands Commission were selling Armed Forces lands. Not under this watch; that cannot happen any longer, and anybody who decides to encroach on Armed Forces lands should rethink. It is not in your interest. I am sorry; but that is the truth, that we did not manage the Armed Forces lands very well.”
He said Mr Mahama should have protected the Armed Forces but “if you live in that area then you are giving others the impetus to do what they are doing.”
The former president now lives at the plush Chain Homes – a gated property next to Burma Camp. It’s believed that he has interest in it, hence constructing a first-class road to the property in order to give it high value. A four-bedroom apartment at Chain Homes goes for over $1 million.
Mr. Nitiwul said, “The way Armed Forces lands were handled I’m not happy about it. We decided to sell some lands to some top politicians. And it’s a shame. It’s not good. Within two years we sold every piece of land – over 300 acres of land to individuals.”
According to the minister, the military hierarchy had served notice to all those occupying disputed military lands to vacate by “December 31 and find new homes,” saying, “We are not in business to demolish new houses.
“It’s an opportunity to move. We’ll not relent in making sure that people occupying lands illegally move.
“Top officials who are supposed to have provided and covered the Armed Forces, were now writing to the Armed Forces to say that ‘if you have no money, then release the lands to the owners,’ not knowing they were buying the lands themselves. How can you do this? I want to advise the former President that he should look for a place and leave…It is not good for him because he was a president. He should not live there. I am not satisfied with the state of that land.”
Mr Nitiwul claimed, “I have often wondered how anyone would be so daring to want to take lands vested in the Armed Forces, but this has been going on for years and in many cases, with impunity.”
Infrastructure Development
Mr Nitiwul disclosed that government had allocated GH¢5 million in the 2017 budget to commence the fencing of all military lands.
In addition, the military is acquiring more lands for strategic use, especially for training and operational purposes.
The minister was happy that his outfit, under the president’s regeneration project, is embarking on a number of renovation works on existing structures and commencement of new ones alongside.
He mentioned the completion of the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) Housing project to house Ghana Armed Forces staff, which has been abandoned since 2008.
He reiterated that plans are far advanced with the collaboration of the ministry of works and housing to construct about 20,000 housing units that on its own, it had mobilized resources to fund renovation works on a number of projects.
Recruitments
According to Mr Nitiwul, about 1,800 recruits would be drafted for the various units of the GAF and gave the breakdown as Army: 1,200, Navy: 200 and Air Force: 400.
New Military Hospital
Mr. Nitwul disclosed that work on the construction of a second military hospital at Afari, near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, is progressing steadily, adding that it had received clearance to recruit 2,000 medical professionals to operationalize the hospital next year.
Defence Industries
The ministry of defence, in collaboration with the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF), has set up the Defence Industries Holding Company (DHOC) as a limited liability company to promote the GAF interest in national development and an avenue to create employment opportunities for Ghanaians.
The minister, who lauded government for its role in supporting the GAF, added that the GAF will continue to retool itself so that it does not fail in its mandate of effectively protecting the people.
By Solomon Ofori