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In faraway Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, the newly appointed Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. John Kudalor, like his predecessors, was assuring his subordinates that their accommodation problem would be the top most priority of his administration, but back home in Accra; prime lands being occupied by his junior and senior officers were being whisked away by greedy politicians. 

What is not known is whether the former Aggrey Memorial Zion Secondary School old student is aware that his men in the black uniform would soon be thrown out from their accommodation. The truth though is that the police barracks near the Driver Vehicle and Licensing Authority (DVLA) office  in Accra has been sold to a top businessman with strong links to top government officials.

The decision is obviously going to exacerbate the already precarious accommodation conundrum, but those behind the deal care little about it. In January 2011, amid fanfare, the late President Mills cut the sod at the Police Training School at Tesano, a suburb of Accra, for the construction of 30,000 housing units for the security agencies by STX Korea at the cost of $1.5 billion.

The ambitious project was part of a $10billion joint venture agreement the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) government entered into with STX Korea to construct 90,000 housing units across the country.  The $1.5 billion agreement represented 45% of the off-taker agreement with STX Korea.

The terms of the agreement include, contract sum of $ 1,525,443,468 -grace period of five years, repayment period of 15 years, maturity period of 20 years, interest rate 2 per cent fixed annum, arrangement fee, 0.75 flat, management fee of 0.5 flat and grant element of 36.93 per cent.

On the day this agreement was to be approved by Parliament, some police officers were bussed to the August House to lend their support for the project.  The terms and conditions of agreement include, total contract amount up to 1,525,443,468 US Dollars, grace period of five years, repayment period of 15 years (semi annual payments), maturity period of 20 years, interest rate 2 per cent fixed annum, arrangement fee, 0.75 flat, management fee of 0.5 flat and grant element of 36.93 per cent.

But a year after the historic sod cutting ceremony, the then Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr. E.T. Mensah addressed a news conference in Accra and announced to the world   that the government had finally closed the chapter on the STX deal, and that it was in the process of recovering all its investments and assets provided for STX Korea to execute the project.

He hinted that the government was looking into proposals presented by private housing companies to build affordable houses for government workers, stating that 40 proposals had so far been received. “Government is, therefore, considering all available options to ensure that the interest of sovereign Ghana is not compromised in anyway under this deal.

Though this new deal, which would have addressed the housing deficits of the Police Service is yet to be implemented, top government officials through their cronies have already started grabbing the very lands that would have been used for the housing projects for the police.

Whilst one source tells The Chronicle that the structures on the disputed land would be demolished and in its place a modern shopping Mall built, another source also said the businessman intend putting up modern housing units, which would be sold to the public.  The land, which is a walking distance from the Kotoka International Airport (KIA) and the Ministry of Defence, is strategically located in Accra, hence the scramble for it.

The barracks currently houses the police workshop, the headquarters of the National Protection Unit. It also houses substantial number of police men and women in Accra. The Chronicle sources within the Police Service say the businessman had already sent his agents which include surveyors to survey the land by taking measurements.

This reporter was also told that initially the officers occupying the barracks drove away the surveyors, a decision which appeared to have been supported by the police top hierarchy. A few months later, the officers were surprisingly instructed by their superiors, who had all along given them support, to give the surveyors access to the place to execute their duties.

The police officers, therefore, had no option than to respect the orders of their superiors by allowing the appointed surveyors to carry on with their duties. Investigations established that some of the officers would be relocated to far away Ada, where the government has put up what they say is affordable houses and other parts of Accra.

The Chronicle was, however, told that the deal had nothing to do with the Police Administration and that their arms were twisted by the government to give off the land to the private investor. When contacted, the Director of Public Affairs of the Police Service, Superintendent Cephas Arthur denied any knowledge about the sale of the prime land to the investor.  He, however, told The Chronicle that the Police Administration as a policy does not sell its lands.

He promised to get the estate unit of the service to comment on the issue but that could not be done, at least as at the time of going to press last night. It would be recalled that whilst in opposition the NDC officials made a lot of noise over the sale of prime government lands, including state bungalows to ministers and other top government officials.

Messrs. Okudzeto Ablakwa and Omane Boamah later brought an action against the former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, for taking the decision to buy the government bungalow he was occupying whilst serving as Minister of Tourism.

President Mahama has also, on countless occasions, warned that he would not allow any member of his government to buy state bungalows and lands. 

The Chronicle cannot, however, tell if the president is aware of the deal. Further investigations are still ongoing and readers would be regularly updated over the development.