East Legon Mpehuasem land issue: Ministry justifies ejection exercise
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has justified the removal of some land encroachers from government lands around the East Legon Mpehuasem catchment area.
A statement signed by the Chief Director, Professor Patrick Agbesinyale, and issued by the ministry stated that the land, which was in contention, and measured approximately 132 acres, was state land which was acquired by an Executive Instrument 16 (2009) as the site for the Accra Training College.
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Encroachment
According to the statement, the justification had become necessary following a press statement that was issued on April 27 this year, purportedly by a group calling itself “land and property owners of East Legon Mpehuasem,” in which the group raised various allegations against the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, and the Minister of National Security.
The statement explained that the land, located between the Trinity Theological Seminary and Ideal College in Accra, had over the years suffered encroachment by private developers in contravention of the purpose for which the land was acquired.
“The exercise conducted on April 26, 2021, therefore, was primarily to halt further encroachment,” the statement said.
The exercise, according to the statement, involved the clearing of walls used as a means of securing parcels of land by the encroachers.
“It is also important to state that the subject land has not been released by government to any entity,” the statement said.
Aggrieved
“For the information of the general public, article 257 (1) states that “all public lands in Ghana shall be vested in the President on behalf of, and in trust for, the people of Ghana,” it said.
It added that the Lands Commission had been mandated to manage all public lands, and cautioned the public to desist from any unlawful appropriation of state lands.
“In this regard, aggrieved persons should contact the Lands Commission for further details on the subject land,” it said.