Ongoing investigations by DAYBREAK indicate that prized land belonging to the State and the Ghana Armed Forces, for that matter, is under the auctioneer’s gavel in the name of a private-public partnership.
This is in spite of open and hushed complaints not only from staff officers and those on retirement but also non-commissioned officers.
Documents sighted by DAYBREAK from Lands and Survey Department reveal that No 1 and No 2 Roman Ridge, Rangoon Villas and the Military Police Barracks lands near El Wak are up for grabs by well-connected business people, (names and companies withheld).
Unassailable information we have indicate as well that the current bungalow being occupied by the current Army Commander at Airport has been sold off. Additionally, another residence that formerly belonged to Air-Vice Marshal Kadri, then Commandant of the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College which is also near the Airport has been sold. Former Air Force Commander JO Boateng and current Chief of Defence Staff also lived there when he was Air Force Commander.
DAYBREAK scouts have sighted an expatriate in the company of officers of the Logistics Department and Engineering Department GHQ at the Rangoon Villas recently navigating the area.
No 1 Roman Ridge is a 16 acre land and No 2 also 10 acres, totaling 26 for the two.
Air Commodore Joseph Yaotse Morgan Nyadodui justifying the intention to sell off the lands in a document we have sighted hailed the deal, saying it is good business in which the general public, Government and Armed Forces stands to benefit.
This unfortunate saga is also against the background that the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) last year dismissed claims that there is wanton sale of properties belonging to the military to private developers.
Some retired soldiers belonging to a group called Alliance for safeguarding the integrity of the security services (ASISS) in a recent statement alleged that there is indiscriminate sale of lands and other properties belonging to the military to private developers.
The civil society organization said its statement is meant to “vehemently protest against indiscriminate sale” of army properties in the country because the practice has “the potential to inhibit future development and expansion of the service.”
“We have convincing evidence that Ghana Armed Forces properties, including places of historic importance are being sold to private developers,” ASISS alleged in its statement jointly signed by Lt Col A Serebour (rtd), Wg Cdr BA Asamoah (rtd) and Major N Mensah (rtd).
The group listed among the properties being sold as: No.1 Roman Ridge Residence, Army Officers Mess, 1 Drake Avenue, Labadi Villa’s land, Teshie Camp and some Garrisons around the country.
These properties, according to the retired soldiers are being sold to private developers to be used for shopping malls, hotels, private hospitals, filling stations among others.
But in a press statement issued and signed by Lt Col E Aggrey-Quashie, GAF said the group has no basis for the allegations.
“The attention of the Ghana Armed Forces has been drawn to the press statement by a group calling itself the Alliance for safeguarding the integrity of the security agencies in which the group alleged that the Ghana Armed Forces is indiscriminately selling its lands to private developers.
“GAF wishes to state that the various allegations made by the group are either false or half-truths,” the statement said.
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