General News of Sunday, 19 May 2013

Source: Peace FM

Pratt bemoans looting of State lands

Managing Editor of the Insight Newspaper, Kwesi Pratt Jnr. has registered his displeasure at what he describes as the wanton grabbing of State lands by some politicians and public officials.

The veteran journalist took a swipe at public officials who take advantage of properties belonging to the State at the detriment of the citizenry.

He was commenting on the recent feud between the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) and Ministry of Transport over a parcel of land at the Kantamanto Railway area.

The Kantamanto market was gutted by fire recently, leading to the destruction of goods and properties worth millions of Ghana cedis.

Following the debacle, the Mayor of Accra, Alfred Oko Vanderpuiye, indicated that the AMA would utilise the opportunity to rebuild the area into a modern market, but reports said the ministry of transport is also interested in the same parcel of land, and revealed their preparedness to construct a railway terminal on that portion of land.

Speaking to the issue on Radio Gold's "Alhaji and Alhaji" programme, the Insight newspaper editor wondered why the two government entities would clash over the same land.

Whilst lambasting the officials, he emphasized the need to do away with such practices and urged all government functionaries to ensure that State properties are put to good use.