Rashid Pelpuo Admits Lands Commission Offered Him Free Land: “I Have Made Attempts To Acquire It”

Rashid Pelpuo Admits Lands Commission Offered Him Free Land: “I Have Made Attempts To Acquire It”

  • Employment Minister-designate Rashid Pelpuo has said the Lands Commission offered him and the lands and forestry committee members free land
  • Pelpuo told the vetting committee that this offer came when he was the ranking member of the lands and forestry committee
  • Bright Simons, think tank Imani Africa's honorary vice president, criticised this supposed arrangement

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Labour, Jobs and Employment Minister-designate, Rashid Pelpuo, has said the Lands Commission offered him and the lands and forestry committee members free land.

During his vetting on January 30, Pelpuo revealed this in response to a question on whether he has acquired state land.

Rashid Pelpuo, Lands Commission, Corruption, Vetting, Parliament, ORAL
Rashid Pelpuo says the Lands Commission offered him state lands. Source: Parliament of Ghana
Source: Facebook

He told the vetting committee that this offer came when he was the ranking member of the lands and forestry committee.

He described it as a salutation and thank you from the commission. The nominee did not disclose the location or the size of the land.

"We were informed that every single time the lands committee was operating, at the end of the period, the Lands Commission would thank you by giving you a piece of land."

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The issue of state lands being acquired by politicians has consistently been brought up during the vetting of various ministers-nominees.

Bright Simons, Imani Africa's honorary vice president, criticised this supposed arrangement.

Simons stressed that the Lands Commission in Ghana only administers public land grants and rights on behalf of the President. They do not own land, he stressed.

"So, explain to me how the Lands Commission is able to "salute" members of Parliamentary committees by awarding unsolicited land grants to them."

Ablakwa accuses Gabby's wife of selling off state land

YEN.com.gh reported that Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, North Tongu Member of Parliament, accused the wife of Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko of an illegal sale of state land.

According to Ablakwa, Nana Adjoa Hackman had illegally acquired property from the state while she was a board member of GNPC.

He said the said property belonged to the Judicial Service of Ghana and now hosts the Asaase Broadcasting Corporation.

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Reacting to the allegations, Asaase Broadcasting Company said the claims were misleading and false, and Lilly Homes Limited legally acquired their headquarters through legitimate means.

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Source: YEN.com.gh

Authors:
Delali Adogla-Bessa avatar

Delali Adogla-Bessa (Head of Current Affairs and Politics Desk) Delali Adogla-Bessa is a Current Affairs Editor with YEN.com.gh. Delali previously worked as a freelance journalist in Ghana and has over seven years of experience in media, primarily with Citi FM, Equal Times, Ubuntu Times. Delali also volunteers with the Ghana Institute of Language Literacy and Bible Translation, where he documents efforts to preserve local languages. He graduated from the University of Ghana in 2014 with a BA in Information Studies. Email: delali.adogla-bessa@yen.com.gh.

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