The Minority Caucus on Lands and Natural Resources in Parliament has revealed that the next National Democratic Congress (NDC) government will implement the “Operation Recover All Loot” initiative, aimed at recovering stolen national assets.
“This commitment is clearly stated in the NDC manifesto, and we are determined to fully pursue it in our efforts to reclaim looted state lands under the Nana Addo/Bawumia administration and hold accountable the masterminds of illegal mining operations. This is our pledge to chiefs, stakeholders, and citizens. We will recover all stolen state lands and remove mining criminals from our forest reserves,” the Caucus declared.
These remarks were contained in a press statement read by Hon. Alhassan Suhuyini during a briefing with the Parliamentary Press Corps at Parliament House.
The Caucus accused the Nana Addo/Bawumia administration of consistently disregarding transparency in the management of state resources and environmental protection. The statement further alleged that the government has deployed a strategy of political equalization, built on misinformation, to dampen public expectations for future accountability regarding the nation’s lands.
“As a result, many Ghanaians are losing hope in the possibility of accountability, even if this government is voted out. As the ranking member on Lands and Natural Resources, I assure you that the incoming NDC government will investigate the questionable acquisition and sale of state lands under this regime, as well as the reckless destruction of our environment. Former President Mahama has made it clear that under his leadership, the NDC will enforce the ‘Operation Recover All Loot’ initiative to reclaim all stolen state assets,” Hon. Suhuyini affirmed.
Criticism of Lands Minister’s Focus on Media Appearances
The Caucus also criticized the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, for focusing too much on media appearances while neglecting to address the Ministry’s inaction or complicity on several issues.
They expressed concern that the Minister was uncomfortable with the suggestion that activities under his leadership resembled state capture.
“State capture is a form of corruption where private interests heavily influence a state’s decision-making processes to their advantage. It happens when powerful individuals or groups manipulate political and legal authority to seize significant resources and control public institutions,” the statement explained.
The Caucus argued that Minister Jinapor, through his actions, appeared more interested in using his state power to serve the interests of privileged individuals and selected businessmen rather than protecting public interest and property.
“While we can understand the challenges of serving as a Minister in the Nana Addo/Bawumia government, where many appointees act as conduits for the President’s agenda to capture state resources for private control, the Minister’s fixation on public-private partnerships when legitimate concerns are raised is disheartening,” the Caucus added.
By S. O. Ankamah