In a resolute move to safeguard state assets, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Ghana’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and Member of Parliament for Ketu North, has pledged to halt unauthorized sales and encroachments on lands designated for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA).
This commitment comes in response to recent discoveries that significant portions of land adjacent to the ministry have been illicitly sold or allocated without proper authorization.
Hon. Ablakwa expressed deep concern upon learning that lands adjoining the MFA have been transferred to various individuals and entities under dubious circumstances.
“I was saddened to also discover that the adjoining lands of the foreign ministry are all gone. A number of people have been approaching us with so-called documentation that they own those portions of the land, and they are preparing to construct.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs
Alarmingly, Hon. Ablakwa noted that some of these claimants include foreign interests, raising significant national security concerns. “We’ve had to send a strongly worded message to all of them that nobody does that,” Hon.Ablakwa stated emphatically.
He underscored the incongruity of allowing unauthorized entities, especially foreign ones, to establish premises in close proximity to the MFA without proper vetting and authorization.
Compensation Missteps and Historical Context
According to the Foreign Affairs Minister, further investigations revealed that certain individuals, whose properties were demolished to make way for the controversial National Cathedral project, have been compensated with portions of the MFA’s land.
This reallocation, he noted was executed without consulting the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a breach of protocol that has exacerbated the situation.
“You know, that land has historically come under so much attack because it’s so prime. You remember that under President Kufour, it was sold out and then, fortunately, Professor Mills, when he won the 2008 elections just a few months after that sale, reversed it and asked everybody to come for a refund. So this is the second time that Prime’s landed airport has come under fire”.
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs
However, Hon. Ablakwa highlighted this precedent to emphasize the ministry’s unwavering stance against the unauthorized sale of its lands.
The original master plan for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs according to him includes multiple phases of development.
While the second phase, generously constructed by the Chinese government, has been completed, there remains a third phase intended for the contested land.
Hon. Ablakwa stressed that the ministry is not prepared to relinquish any portion of this land, as it is integral to their long-term infrastructural plans.
He emphasized that the encroachment of unauthorized entities, particularly foreign ones, poses significant national security risks, adding that the proximity of these entities to the MFA could potentially compromise sensitive operations and information.
“You’re going to have some of these bodies and their individuals on the list. They want to build so close to the foreign ministry. You don’t know who they work for, where their allegiances are, what kind of gadgets will be installed there”.
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs
In response to these challenges, the Foreign Affairs Minister disclosed that his outfit has submitted a memorandum to the cabinet, seeking support to reclaim and protect its lands.
Hon. Ablakwa was resolute in his commitment to combat state asset misappropriation and has vowed to take decisive action against unauthorized occupants.
“We are going to put up a very strong fight,” he declared, emphasizing his well-known stance against state capture and the illicit sale of state assets.
The minister also highlighted the lack of consultation with the MFA regarding these unauthorized land allocations under the previous New Patriotic Party administration.
“Decisions were made unilaterally, without the ministry’s knowledge or consent. When I went through the handover notes and the files, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs was not even consulted. So this was just done without recourse to the ministry, and we are not going to accept that.”
Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs
This situation is emblematic of a broader issue concerning the unauthorized sale and allocation of state lands in Ghana.
Hon. Ablakwa’s proactive stance serves as a clarion call for greater transparency, accountability, and adherence to due process in the management of public assets.
The minister’s unwavering commitment to protecting the interests of the state and its citizens is evident. His pledge to confront those who have encroached upon the MFA’s lands, underscore the importance of vigilance and integrity in public service.
The Minister’s leadership in this matter exemplifies a steadfast dedication to upholding the sanctity of state assets and ensuring they are utilized for the collective benefit of the nation.
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