By: Maame Efua Kwaduah
The Defense and Interior Committee of Parliament has summoned Interior Minister Henry Quartey and Ghana Prisons Service Director General Isaac Kofi Egyir to appear before them today, July 29, 2024. The committee will address concerns regarding the Ghana Prisons Service Barracks at Cantonments and lands at Roman Ridge in Accra.
This action follows planned protests by the Coalition of La Associations and the Ga Dangme Coalition Against Land Injustice, starting Tuesday. The groups are protesting what they claim are unethical land seizures by political figures in the Greater Accra Region. The protests are centered on the Prisons Service land at Cantonments, where a private developer is reportedly set to redevelop and utilize part of the land for private business.
Deputy Ranking Member of the Defense and Interior Committee, Peter Lanchene Toobu has stressed the need of gathering accurate information before any site visit. He noted that there has been numerous complaints about a businessman allegedly encroaching on government lands and highlighted the committee’s responsibility to understand the situation and listen to public concerns.