OccupyGhana, in the exercise of its right to information under Article 21 of the Constitution, is demanding the list of all public lands over which government’s ownership or control has been relinquished since January 7, 1993, and the names of the persons to whom those lands have been released.
In addition, it wants the respective sizes and locations (suburbs, towns/cities and regions) of all such lands and the conditions of release, whether free, sale, lease or licensed.
In a letter dated June 2, 2022, addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, OccupyGhana is asking for the amount of rent paid or payable for every land that has been leased.
The six-point letter is also demanding any other amounts paid to or received by government, if any, for each such transaction; and a copy of any existing written ministerial policy direction to the Lands Commission on these and other related matters.
The pressure group said since the coming into force of the Fourth Republican Constitution on January 7, 1993, several parcels of public lands have been released from government ownership or control.
According to OccupyGhana, it includes lands that the government had acquired over the years through outright purchases, statutory vesting, compulsory acquisition or the constitutional freehold reversionary interest under Article 266 of the Constitution.
“We are interested in the circumstances surrounding the release of these lands,” it added.
Source: The Finder