Gov’t begins audit of all public lands; flawed deals to be cancelled – Armah-Kofi Buah

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced that government has commenced a comprehensive review and audit of all public lands sold in recent years to ensure that due process was followed.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang to the Ministry, Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah said the exercise is aimed at safeguarding state property and ensuring that government obtained value for money in all such transactions.
He explained that any sale found to have breached laid-down procedures, or where the required processes were not fully completed, would be cancelled.

According to the Minister, the decision follows growing concerns that some public lands acquired by the state for specific purposes, including agriculture and development, were unlawfully sold or mismanaged by officials entrusted with their protection.

He warned that officials found to be culpable would be publicly named and sanctioned to serve as a strong deterrent to others, stressing that all public land transactions are being scrutinised to confirm that proper valuation was conducted and that due process was strictly adhered to.

“We have begun the review process. Public lands that were acquired for specific purposes were abused by some of the very people mandated to protect them,” Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah stated.

He disclosed that a team, led by his Deputy and approved by Cabinet, has been constituted to carry out the exercise, adding that once completed, it would help deter public officials from engaging in similar acts.

“All public lands sold are undergoing review to ensure value for money and proper process audits.

Any transaction that did not complete the required processes will be automatically cancelled.

This is to assure Ghanaians that government is committed to protecting public lands,” he added.