The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has refuted claims that a land guard has been hired to protect state lands.
In a statement issued by the Ministry, it clarified that the government does not contract the services of land guards in its operations.
Instead, the Ministry has engaged the services of Aynok Holding Limited, a registered limited liability company, to assist in reclaiming encroached government lands.
This engagement has been ongoing since 2012.
The Ministry emphasized that they employ a legal process to reclaim all encroached state lands. This clarification comes in response to comments made by the Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassn Suhuyini, who revealed that the Chief Director of the Ministry, Professor Patrick Agbesinyale, had disclosed the hiring of a land guard to protect state lands during a meeting with the Lands and Forestry Committee of Parliament.
Suhuyini expressed concerns about dealing with individuals whose activities have been outlawed.
He questioned the decision to engage a land guard for the protection of lands held on behalf of the people of Ghana and vested in the President.
He also called for transparency regarding the terms and conditions of the contract.
“In our engagement, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources the Chief Director revealed, shockingly, that the Ministry has resorted to engaging a land guard to retrieve and protect government lands.
“Mind you, these are lands that are held on behalf of the people of Ghana and vested in the President to protect it. I am sure that the framers of the Constitution are aware that the president is the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces and he is seized with the capacity to ensure that these lands are protected for our common use, that is why the lands are vested in the president, and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is the Ministry tasked with the responsibility of overseeing these lands.
“So for the Ministry to tell us the lack of capacity of the state to protect these lands that are put in trust but to resort to the services of people whose activities have been outlawed for the protection of these lands came to us as a surprise.
“We have therefore demanded from the Ministry the terms and conditions of that unholy relationship between the Ministry and this land guard and his institution. We cannot pass laws that we do not intend to keep.”
The Ministry has been requested by the Committee to provide the details of the contract between them and the land guard. Suhuyini stressed the importance of upholding laws and regulations, particularly when it comes to protecting state lands.
With this recent controversy, it remains to be seen how the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources will address the concerns raised by the Parliamentary Committee and provide clarity on the engagement with Aynok Holding Limited.
By Vincent Kubi