Land Guard Brouhaha: Lands Ministry Chief Director Denies Saying Government Uses Thugs To Reclaim Lands

Land Guard Brouhaha: Lands Ministry Chief Director Denies Saying Government Uses Thugs To Reclaim Lands

Chief Director of the lands ministry Professor Patrick Agbesinyale has denied saying that the government engages land guards to assist the state to reclaim lands people have encroached on.

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Tamale North MP, Alhassan Suhuyini was the first person to attribute the controversial claim to Prof Agbesinyale.

Lands Ministry Chief Director denies saying the government uses land guards to reclaim lands
A group of riot police personnel (L) and Prof Patrick Agbesinyale. Source: Facebook/@GhanaMlnr
Source: Facebook

The report that Prof Agbesinyale has made such a remark sparked a deluge of critical reaction on social media, compelling the minister Abu Jinapor to issue a statement dismissing the claim.

On Wednesday, July 19, 2023, when Prof Agbesinyale appeared before the Public Account Committee, he said the reports attributed to him are false.

“I think 'land guard', unfortunately, is a terminology that all of us don’t want to be associated with. At least we know what land guards do," he said.

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He stressed that it was common knowledge that land guards operate illegally and engage in all forms of criminal activities.

"I can’t imagine saying government uses land guards,” he added.

Lands Ministry denies contracting land guards

YEN.com.gh reported in a previous story that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has denied claims that it uses the services of land guards.

The ministry said it has been using a private firm to protect state lands from encroachers.

The lands ministry further assured that it uses only legal processes to reclaim state lands from encroachment.

The comment by the minister follows the public backlash that greeted the comments attributed to Prof Agbesinyale.

Ghana police and Ghana Armed Force refute claims they use land guards

Also, the Ghana Police Services said claims that it has been using land guards do not have any basis.

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"Unimaginable claims": Ghana Police, Army deny allegations that they use land guards to reclaim their lands

The Ghana Armed Forces said the allegations, also attributed to Prof Agbesinyale, that it has contracted land guards are unreasonable.

Adom Otchere accuses IGP of working with earrings-wearing policemen

Also, in other news journalist Paul Adom Otchere has made some wild allegations against the IGP George Akuffo Dampare.

He said he has been credibly informed that the IGP has courted the disaffection of some of the top police officers.

He said although he could not prove the allegations that have been made against the respected IGP, there are a lot of things that have gone wrong since he took office.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
George Nyavor avatar

George Nyavor (Head of Politics and Current Affairs Desk) George Nyavor writes for YEN.com.gh. He has been Head of the Politics and Current Affairs Desk since 2022. George has over 9 years of experience in managing media and communications (Myjoyonline and GhanaWeb). George is a member of the Catholic Association of Media Practitioners Ghana (CAMP-G). He obtained a BA in Communications Studies from the Ghana Institute of Journalism in 2010. Reach out to him via george.nyavor@yen.com.gh.