The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has denied claims that it employs the services of land guards to claim their pieces of land that have been encroached.
On Monday, July 17, Minority members of the Lands and Forestry Committee of Parliament accused the government of enlisting the services of land guards for the retrieval and protection of government lands, citing statements made by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Professor Patrick Agbesinyale, during a meeting with the Committee.
Addressing the media, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Lands and Forestry Committee of Parliament, Alhassan Suhuyini bemoaned the lack of commitment on the part of the government to combat land guard activities.
“The other shocking revelation according to the Chief Director is that even the Ghana Armed Forces and the Police use this same land guard to protect their lands. So, if the military and the police cannot protect their own lands and have to resort to the use of a land guard, then what will be the fate of the common Ghanaian who wants to acquire land and is faced with land guards?” he quizzed.
But in a press statement signed by Director General Public Relations, Brigadier General E Aggrey-Quashie, the Ghana Armed Forces assured all that the allegation is false and should be treated with the contempt it deserves.
They argued that it is unimaginable that GAF cannot protect its own lands but rather indulge in an illegality by relying on the services of land guards, a proscribed activity.
“GAF deems it as regrettable that news reports emanated from unsubstantiated allegations made by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Prof Patrick Agbesinyale at a Parliamentary Committee meeting on 10 July 2023.
“We wish to stress that this allegation which was repeated by Hon Alhassan Suhuyini, Member of Parliament for Tamale North to the media is false and should be ignored,” the statement added.
Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces has entreated the media and the public not to hesitate to contact the Department of Public Relations to clarify stories of these nature before publishing them.
At this critical time, GAF’s focus is geared towards protecting the frontiers of our country against the downward spread of violent extremism from the Sahel Region and the least the Institution expects are issues that distracts us (GAF) from focusing on protecting the country, the statement added.
Also, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has refuted allegations made, arguing that the Lands Commission legally engaged the services of Aynok Holding Limited, a registered limited liability company to assist in reclaiming encroached government lands.
This engagement, the ministry said, has been in effect since 2012.
Source: The Independent Ghana | Andy Ogbarmey-Tettey