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The Lands Commission has refuted reports that the official residence of the Speaker of Parliament was almost sold earlier this year.
While speaking at the Speaker‘s Breakfast Forum in Accra on Monday, November 20, Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin indicated that his residence was almost sold to a private developer.
“Many of you don’t know that even the residence of the Speaker was almost sold to the private sector,” the former lawmaker said.
“Actually, it was given out. It was when they went to register that the Lands Commission identified that that was the residence of the Speaker.
“Luckily, I was inside, so it was saved,” he added.
However, in a caustic retort, the Commission claims that the property where the house sits has been formally owned by Ghana’s Parliament Speaker since 2003.
But it said in 2022, the Parliamentary Service applied for a Certificate of Allocation “to regularise their occupation of the land”.
This application, according to the Commission, was approved by its regional secretariat after all statutory processes including planning approval from the La Dadekotopon Assembly were completed.
The response issued by the Acting Executive Secretary Ing. Ben Arthur said the Commission made an offer of allocation to the Parliamentary Service on Tuesday, February 14.
It said the Service accepted the offer and after paying the requisite fees was issued with a Certificate of Allocation.
“The Lands Commission is, therefore, unaware of any purported sale of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament’s official residence to a private developer.
“The Commission wishes to reiterate its commitment to the prudent and efficient management of public lands in the national interest, and promote effective land administration that is anchored on the highest standards of integrity, transparency and candour.”
NKONKONSA.com
