GBC land in Wa was properly acquired 96 Lands Commission

Accra, Aug. 17, GNA - The Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) land in Jujueidayiri in Wa Township was properly acquired as 93the 1954 and 1956 Certificates of Allocation are still valid today; they are not time barred," Lands Commission has said.

A statement the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr W. Odame Larbi signed and issued through the Ghana News Agency on Tuesday said: "The land in question is part of Government acquired area in Wa in the Upper West Region. It was acquired by a Certificate of Appropriation dated 30th June 1934 covering an area of 285.857 acres for Government Administrative purposes such as offices, senior and junior staff quarters etc.

"It was based on the above mentioned acquisition that the Commissioner for Lands by Certificate of Allocation dated 23rd February, 1954 allocated approximately 5.024 acres to the Director of Information Services for a Re-diffusion Station.

"The Commissioner for Lands also by Certificate of Allocation dated 21st December, 1956 allocated approximately 2.71 acres to the Director, Broadcasting Department for Junior Staff Quarters.

"Clearly, these two dates and two purposes are not in any way inconsistent. Again, it should be noted that Certificates of Allocation are issued to the ministries and departments for the use and occupation of Government lands and they are valid legal instruments," the statement said.

The statement said the Commission deemed it appropriate to respond to a statement purported to have been made by Mr Mohammed Nanii, Spokesman for Jujueidayiri Youth, at a press conference in Wa recently, because it was the statutory body charged with the management of public lands in the country and also responsible for advising Government; governmental agencies; traditional authorities and various Assemblies on land policy and administration.

Mr Nanii was reported to have said it was ridiculous and elementary for the GBC to rely on inconsistent certificates of allocation signed by the Commissioner of Lands in 1954 and 1956, as the basis for ownership of the land in question.

He had argued that a certificate of allocation only opened the negotiation doors and did not vest ownership of the land.