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Okudzeto Ablakwa Accuses Kennedy Osei Nyarko of Cantonments Land Scandal
North Tongu MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has accused Akim Swedru MP Kennedy Osei Nyarko of benefiting from a questionable land transaction involving public assets.
According to Hon. Ablakwa, Hon. Osei Nyarko acquired prime public land in Cantonments, Accra, at an astonishingly low cost of GHS42,000.00 (approximately $2,800) for a 99-year lease.
Hon. Ablakwa claims that the land deal, authorised by former President Akufo-Addo in 2021, highlights systemic corruption within the previous New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration.
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The lease terms allegedly allowed Hon. Osei Nyarko to pay an annual ground rent of GHS10,500.00 from 2021 to 2024, while the prevailing market value for similar parcels of land ranged between $700,000 and $800,000.
In a statement shared on X, Ablakwa revealed, “Unimpeachable and irrefutable Lands Commission documents show that Hon. Kennedy Osei Nyarko now owns the land for 99 years. This transaction is outrageously unconscionable and constitutes a betrayal of public trust.”
The North Tongu MP further accused Hon. Osei Nyarko of colluding to rezone the Cantonments Agric Mechanisation land without parliamentary approval. He noted that staff of the Agric Mechanisation Department and members of the Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association were evicted to facilitate the transfer of the land.
Hon. Ablakwa contends that the deal contravenes Article 257 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution, which mandates that public lands belong to all Ghanaians and are to be managed in trust by the President.
As part of his anti-corruption efforts, Ablakwa is advocating for new legislation to prevent politically exposed persons from acquiring state assets. His proposed private member’s bill will require parliamentary approval for all transactions involving state property, ensure value-for-money audits, and mandate public disclosure of beneficiaries and financial details.
“What state assets are we leaving behind for the youth and for subsequent generations?” Ablakwa asked, calling for reflection and action from all politicians. He also emphasised the importance of President John Mahama’s ORAL (Operation Retrieve Assets Looted) initiative in addressing such cases of corruption.
Hon. Kennedy Osei Nyarko and the NPP minority in Parliament are yet to formally respond to the allegations.
However, Suame MP John Darko, speaking on behalf of the NPP, has described the ORAL initiative as “disruptive and unlawful,” urging former government officials to boycott its engagements.
“We refuse to recognise this entity because constitutionally mandated bodies already exist to investigate alleged misdeeds,” Darko stated, defending the party’s stance.
