The Parliamentary Lands and Forestry Committee has requested that the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources produce the terms and conditions of the contract that the Chief Director, Professor Patrick Agbesinyale, stated had been issued to a land guard to preserve state lands.
Alhassan Suhuyini, a member of the committee and Member of Parliament for Tamale North, stated that the Chief Director of the Ministry revealed to the committee in an engagement that a land guard has been appointed to defend state lands.
Speaking to journalists in Parliament on Monday, July 17, Suhuyini expressed reservations about the arrangement, stating that land guard activities are illegal in Ghana and that the state should not be the one to break laws.
“During our engagement, the Chief Director of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources revealed, shockingly, that the Ministry has resorted to hiring a land guard to retrieve and protect government lands.”
“Keep in mind that these are lands held on behalf of the people of Ghana and vested in the President to protect.” I am sure the framers of the Constitution are aware that the president is the Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces and has the capacity to ensure that these lands are protected for our common use, which is why the lands are vested in the president, and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is the Ministry tasked with overseeing these lands.
“So for the Ministry to tell us that the state lacks the capacity to protect these lands that have been placed in trust, but to rely on the services of people whose activities have been prohibited for the protection of these lands surprised us.”
“As a result, we have demanded from the Ministry the terms and conditions of the Ministry’s unholy relationship with this land guard or his institution.” We can’t pass laws that we don’t intend to enforce.”
“The other shocking aspect of this revelation is that, according to the Chief Director, not only the Ministry contracted the services of this land guard, but the Ghana Armed Forces and the Police rely on the services of this land guard to protect lands under their care.”
“If the Ghana Armed Forces and the Police are unable to protect their own lands and must resort to the use of land guards, what is the fate of the ordinary Ghanaian who wishes to acquire lands and is confronted with the challenge of land guards?”
“What was once again scandalous was Chief Director’s revelation that this person who is engaged actually has a set-up that the state cannot compete with.”
