The office of former President Jerry Rawlings has rebuffed suggestions in social media publications that he intended to illegally appropriate for himself a piece of land at Ridge, Accra.
His office says the former President wrote officially to the immediate past government to request for a piece of land for the establishment of a Rawlings Foundation, which he intended to “dedicate to humanitarian, educational, population control, HIV AIDS, health-related projects, the preservation of nature and the promotion and preservation of cultural values.”
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.
A statement by the Communications Directorate of the office of the former President, signed by Mr. Kobina Andoh Amoakwa, said consequent to this, Rawlings made further suggestions to the government, but a response directing action by the Lands and Natural Resources Minister only reached the minister on December 12, 2016 because Ambassador Kwesi Quartey, Secretary to the then President claimed he only discovered the letter directing action on the land ‘misplaced among’ his papers a few days after the General elections.
“No lease agreement was thus reached with the government”, the office of former President Rawlings said, irrespective of documents pointing to substantial discussions on the matter.
Read Mr Rawlings's reaction to the issue and corresponding documents on the matter below.
PRESS RELEASE
January 17, 2017
RE: ALLOCATION OF PLOT TO H.E. JERRY JOHN RAWLINGS
Our attention has been drawn to information currently in the public domain of communication between The Lands Commission and His Excellency Jerry John Rawlings, former President of the Republic.
As per the content of the said communication a plot was allocated to His Excellency Rawlings for the purposes of the establishment of the Rawlings Foundation.
Upon receipt of the notification His Excellency replied to the said directive and requested for adjoining lands to the said property also for the purposes of the Foundation, which he intends to dedicate to humanitarian, educational, population control, HIV AIDS, health related projects, the preservation of nature and the promotion and preservation of cultural values.
Unfortunately the response dated May 9, 2016 received no reply till 12th December, 2016 when the Secretary to the President, Ambassador Kwesi Quartey discovered the letter ‘misplaced among’ his papers and wrote to the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources to act upon.
No lease agreement was thus reached with the government.
Signed:
Kobina Andoh Amoakwa
(Communications Directorate)
Source: Peacefmonline.com with additional files from Graphic.com.gh
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