Gov't, GCAA Demolish Illegal Structures

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) have promised to demolish all illegal structures on lands belonging to the Authority at Adenta.

The Deputy Minister Government, Owusu-Agyeman called for immediate intervention to protect 614.42 acres of land.

He made the call when he toured some sites of the GCAA encroached upon by some persons on Tuesday in Accra following a report to the ministry.

According to the Deputy Minister, his visit was to ascertain the veracity of the report that government lands were being encroached upon by many people.

The deputy minister and his entourage, during the tour, expressed shock at the manner in which churches and developers were constructing illegal structures and huge mansions.

He noted that there had been fierce struggle over the ownership of state lands which the owners had duly been compensated.

Mr. Owusu-Agyemang stressed the need for the Authority to collaborate with the Adenta Municipal Assembly to protect the lands, explaining that the chiefs do not have any right to re-sell the lands.

“We are going to collaborate with the Ghana Civil Aviation to know when to start the demolishing exercise,” he said.

Mr Owusu-Agyeman said it was unacceptable for state institutions to remain indifferent and allow state lands to be possessed by private developers.

The minister emphasized that government had not released any lands belonging to GCAA to any chief and therefore anybody who purchase any of the said lands does so at his or her own risk.

Mr. Owusu-Agyemang stressed that although the ministry has been entrusted with the management of lands, forest, wildlife and mineral resources of Ghana, it was not responsible for the protection of lands.

He therefore urged state institutions to find ways of protecting their lands.

The Municipal Chief Executive of Adenta, Nubyl Kakra Van-Lare, on her part, gave assurance that her outfit would collaborate with the GCAA to ensure that all authorized structures were pulled down and people evacuated.

“What I want to stress is that the Assembly has not given permit to anybody to permanently or temporary occupy any portion of the land.

However the founder of Walking In The Light Church, Agnes Kumekpapa, who was seen busily worshipping God, told the deputy minister that she was not aware the land belonged to GCAA, stressing that she paid about GH¢15,000 for the three acres of land from one of the chiefs.