ALLIANCE FOR TRUTH AND ACCOUNTABILITY. PRESS RELEASE. GRABBING OF STATE LANDS IN THE ASUNAFO NORTH MUNICIPALITY. With and on behalf of the executives of A.F.T.A and the association members write to inform the general public and the stakeholders of Asunafo North Municipality and the nation as a whole about the grabbing of state lands in our Municipality. The association has observed an on- going happening in our Municipality that is retarding development in our municipality which needs to be in the light for the general public. Goaso low-cost is a suburb of the Municipality that was demarcated by the first Prime minister of Ghana, Dr. Busia as an area to be developed by the government and occupied by government workers. The development of the area was assigned to the late Mallam Issah (Former NDC chairman) and other contractors in the Brong Ahafo Region. Due to the short reign of Dr. Busia administration, some areas were not developed. In a fascinating twist to the government inability to develop the demarcated areas particularly adjacent the SSNIT manager’s bungalow is that top government officials are now developing these lands for their private use. Some top personalities of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the Convention People’s Party (CPP) way before and since the beginning of this fourth Republic have acquired state parcels of land which so many moral and probably legal questions have been raised, since they were given out without cabinet approval. A good number of these state lands are located at cantonment, sakumono and ridge residential estates all in Accra. But this lifestyle has travelled and metamorphosed to our dear Municipality precisely Goaso. Currently, the coordinator for the Ghana Youth Employment Entrepreneurial Development Agency (GYEEDA) for Asunafo North is putting up an ultra-modern and multi-million building at Goaso Low- cost (State Land). This person is known as Sheikh Abdallah and the building is located adjacent the SSNIT manager’s bungalow and directly opposite Ahafoman Secondary Technical School entrance. The question now is that, was this land sold to Sheikh Abdallah or rented to him? In 2009, Sheikh Abdallah started a naming and shaming programme of some former government officials which he claimed were corrupt. The question is that, what is the credibility of this man who started that programme of naming and shaming individuals on some amount of money of 300 Ghana cedis. Now he has robbed the Municipality of about 5000 Ghana cedis and more but walk chest out in our Municipality. The second question is that, is the assembly aware of this corrupt act by our coordinator? How does government or assembly give out state asset? The highest bidder wins or is it now the Party man wins? We are using this platform to call onto the BNI to investigate deeply into this matter and make their findings public since the constituents of Asunafo North have interest in this abhorred act. Moreover, investigation conducted by A.F.T.A reveals that, the project Sheikh Abdallah is undertaking will be involved with fire hence heat. The area he is developing is also close to the transformer that supplies electricity to the area which hosts the circuit court Judge, Managers, Heads of Departments and the only public SHS at Goaso. Hence, should the unfortunate of fire outbreak occur what will happen to Low-cost residents and individuals aforementioned? Also the project has a drinking spot involved. With the ongoing failure in our SHS, will a drinking spot directly opposite A.S.T.S help the education facility up there? In addition to this, should this be granted, it will create room for others to hijack other sensitive and key assets of our Municipality which will retard development and also could stop other government projects due to unavailability of land. In a nut shell, we are therefore calling on the general public and stakeholders to stop Sheikh Abdallah and his malevolence minded project. We are giving the assembly few days to stop him from undertaking his multi-million dollar project, if not the youth of this Municipality will march onto the streets and will confiscate other states properties since anyone can take state assets without any punishment from authorities. Thank You. Name Status Signature Frank Owusu Wiredu President ………………….. Patrick Ayama Secretary ………………….. Francis Agyapong Nimpong Operations Director ………………….. Kwame Boakye-Yiadom (Kwame Zion) Organizer ………………….. Asiedu Alfred Comm. Director 0249489925 Sarfo Jnr. Dep. Comm. Director 0577801164 Osei Wereko Member
Posted on: Fri, 21 Mar 2014 09:26:35 +0000