Ex-president John Kufuor and his predecessor Mr John Rawlings have denied buying state lands in parts of Accra’s plush residential areas.
Spokesperson Frank Agyekum told Joy News, the only plot of land made available to the ex-president was the one provided for by the Chinery Hesse Presidential emolument committee under Article 71 office holders.
The ex-president never under the John Atta Mills/John Mahama tenure purchase any plot of land in Accra, Agyekum emphasized.
Mr. Kobina Andoh Amoakwa who speaks for ex-president John Rawlings rubbished the report claiming it is an old recycled story.
Both men were reacting to a list of high profile politicians, most of whom were under previous administration, who purchased lands in Accra between 2009 and 2016.
In the list intercepted by Joy News, at least 416 individuals and institutions were allocated plots of lands in Accra’s most luxurious residential areas including Airport Residential Area, Cantonments, East Legon, North Ridge.
The list included high profile personalities under the previous NDC administration, including the former NDC Chairman Dr Kwabena Adjei, Ex- CEO of the NHIA, some ex-ministers of state and heads of public and private institutions.
Also found on the list is Ex-president John Rawlings who for years waged a campaign against the buying and selling of state lands.
New Patriotic Party officials were not left out of the buying of state lands under the previous administration.
At least four officials including Papa Owusu Ankomah, the late Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, KT Hammond and ex-president John Kufuor were all cited in the list of beneficiaries.
But the ex-president has been quick to dissociate himself from the land grabbing syndicate.
Frank Agyekum who speaks for Mr Kufuor said the state, under the country’s constitution, is expected to house the former president.
The Chinery Hesse presidential emolument committee constituted in 2008 to counsel government on what to give Mr Kufuor and other public officers captured under Article 71 advised, among other things, that the ex-president be housed in a residential facility in Accra.
Frank Agyekum said it is in line with this that a plot of land was made available to Mr Kufuor.
When Myjoyonline.com got in touch with the Spokesperson of Mr Rawlings he was emphatic his boss has never bought any land in Accra.
According to Mr. Kobina Andoh Amoakwa, as far back as January 2017, a similar list emerged in which Mr Rawlings’ name was mentioned as a beneficiary of a land grabbing syndicate and that issue was clarified.
He did not understand why Mr Rawlings’ name will be added to a new list of beneficiaries.
In January, Mr Andoh issued a statement that Mr Rawlings had put in an application for a piece of land to enable him build a foundation.
He said the Lands Commission in Accra subsequently wrote to Rawlings in May 2016, informing him that then President John Mahama had approved the allocation of the land, a 4.368 acre land on the Sekou Toure Street, Ridge Residential Area, a chunk of which already houses his residence and office.
He said no lease agreement was reached with the government.
Mr. Kobina Andoh Amoakwa was quite upset about the new list in which Mr Rawlings’ name would be mentioned as a beneficiary of an allocated land.
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