Lands Commission: Residence of Speaker has never been sold

The Lands Commission has unequivocally dismissed the assertions made by the Speaker of Parliament, Alban Sumana Bagbin that his official residence was on the verge of being sold to a private developer.

The Commission released a statement categorically denying any knowledge or involvement in such a purported sale.

The statement, signed by the Acting Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Mr. Benjamin Arthur, clarified that there was no point in time when the official residence of the Speaker of Parliament was sold to a private developer.

He refuted the claims made by Speaker Bagbin during the Speaker’s Breakfast Forum, where he alleged that his official bungalow had been given away without his prior notice.

During the forum, Speaker Bagbin disclosed that the property had almost been re-registered to a private developer, and it was only through the intervention of the Lands Commission that the identification error was rectified.

However, Mr. Arthur rejected these claims, providing a detailed timeline of the property’s acquisition and ownership history.

According to Mr. Arthur, the land in question was acquired by a Certificate of Title dated June 7, 1920, for government services.

He explained that since 2003, the property has consistently served as the official residence of the Speaker of Parliament.

He noted that the Parliamentary Service, on November 15, 2022, applied for a Certificate of Allocation to formalize their occupation of the land, measuring approximately 1.66 acres.

Mr. Arthur said the Regional Lands Commission, at its 64th meeting on December 22, 2022, approved the application after completing all necessary statutory processes, including planning approval from the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly.

He emphasized that the Lands Commission, on February 14, 2023, made an offer of allocation to the Parliamentary Service.

According to him, the Parliamentary Service accepted the offer and after paying the requisite fees, a Certificate of Allocation dated April 25, 2023 was issued to the Parliamentary Service.

Highlighting the commitment of the Lands Commission to the prudent and efficient management of all public lands in the national interest, Mr. Arthur asserted that their goal is to promote effective land administration based on the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and candor.

This development raises questions about the accuracy of Speaker Bagbin’s claims and underscores the importance of thorough verification before making public statements regarding sensitive matters such as the sale of government properties.