The controversy surrounding the acquisition of state land in Cantonments by Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, Director-General of the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), has taken new twists following a series of allegations, denials, and rebuttals.
The issue began when legal practitioner Martin Kpebu alleged during a discussion on TV3 that the former NIB boss voluntarily returned the land to the “ORAL” team. Nana Attobrah Quaicoe, however, denied these claims, stating that he never acquired any state land.
The latest development comes from North Tongu MP and chairman of the ORAL team, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, who has questioned the former NIB boss’s denials, presenting documents that he says prove otherwise.
Initial allegations by Martin Kpebu
The controversy first emerged when Martin Kpebu, a private legal practitioner and member of the ORAL team, claimed on TV3’s “The Key Points” programme that Nana Attobrah Quaicoe had voluntarily returned a plot of prime state land in Cantonments, Accra.
Speaking on the show, Kpebu stated, “The head of the National Investigation Bureau, formerly BNI, reached out to Okudzeto due to the advocacy surrounding the land issue and stated that he would return the land and withdraw his claim. He requested to be excluded from further involvement”.
Okudzeto Ablakwa’s rebuttal and documents
The issue took another turn when Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, MP for North Tongu, took to social media platform X to challenge Quaicoe’s denials.
Ablakwa shared documents from the Lands Commission that he claimed provided incontrovertible evidence of the land transaction.
In his post, Ablakwa asked four key questions:
Is Nana Attobrah Quaicoe denying that he acquired the Cantonments state land for an undervalued price of GH₵160,157.00?
Is he denying that the conservative market value of the property is over $700,000?
Is he denying that the government failed to comply with the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925) by not seeking parliamentary approval when the land was allegedly rezoned?
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Is he denying that he reached out to intermediaries to negotiate the return of the land?
Ablakwa described the transaction as a classic case of state capture, adding that the land’s real market value is conservatively estimated to be in excess of GH₵10.5 million.
Official documents from the Lands Commission
Documents from the Lands Commission shared by Ablakwa reveal that the 0.24-acre plot of land in Cantonments was leased to Nana Attobrah Quaicoe for a term of 99 years.
The lease was executed on behalf of the President of the Republic by the Lands Commission, with an annual ground rent of GH₵6,720. The documents also show that the land was sold for GH₵160,157.00, a price critics argue is far below its market value.
The documents further indicate that the property is situated within the Giffard Road Layout Extension Area in Cantonments. The lease agreement was signed and sealed by representatives of the Lands Commission, confirming the transaction.
Legislative concerns
One of the key issues raised by critics is the government’s failure to seek parliamentary approval for the rezoning and sale of the land, as required by the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, 2016 (Act 925). Ablakwa and other legal experts argue that this omission renders the transaction legally questionable.
Ablakwa also revealed that intermediaries allegedly reached out to negotiate the return of the land, a claim that Nana Attobrah Quaicoe has vehemently denied.
The ongoing controversy has reignited calls for legislative reform to prevent politically exposed persons from acquiring state property. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is leading the charge with a Private Member’s Bill aimed at prohibiting political appointees from purchasing state assets.
“This is why I get even more convinced every passing day that my Private Member’s Bill seeking to prohibit political appointees and politically exposed persons from buying state assets must be passed without further delay,” Ablakwa stated. “I am excited that President Mahama gives us hope that the era of State Capture is over. For God and Country. Ghana First.”
The proposed bill seeks to address concerns about conflict of interest and promote greater accountability in the management of public resources.
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