Member of Parliament for North Tongu and leader of the NDC’s anti-corruption initiative, ORAL, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has accused President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo of engaging in acts of state capture.
In a post on X, Ablakwa highlighted the alleged use of two state lands by family members of the President, specifically his daughter, Edwina Akufo-Addo, and his niece, Adeline Akufo-Addo Kufuor.
He argued that this violates Article 257(1) of the 1992 Constitution, which vests all public lands in the President to hold in trust for the people of Ghana.
Ablakwa described the two relatives as “politically exposed” and revealed that they operate private businesses—Nsuomnam, an upscale restaurant, and The Lotte, an elite fashion house—on what he claims are state lands in Cantonments. “Diligent parliamentary oversight conducted over many months has confirmed that the prime Cantonments land used for both private investments by the politically exposed Edwina and Adeline are Public Lands,” he stated.
The MP further shared documents suggesting discrepancies in the history and acquisition of the land. He pointed to two conflicting search certificates issued by the Lands Commission: one dated August 21, 2024, and the other September 10, 2024. “This time the Lands Commission official Search Certificate with Job Number: LCGACS292485782024 and signed by the same Elder Ekow Edwards presents the following contrasting history: State Land acquired on August 23, 1894 for Hausa Reserve; leased to Johnson Boateng Siriboe for 99 years by Government on 03/06/1969; Mortgage dated 26/02/1970 from Johnson Boateng Siriboe to Barclays Bank D.C.O. (Do find attached),” Ablakwa disclosed.
Ablakwa commended President-Elect John Dramani Mahama for initiating the ORAL anti-corruption initiative and called for a thorough investigation into all lands associated with President Akufo-Addo and his family. “President Akufo-Addo’s apparent reprehensible conflict of interest conduct in this family land grab affair must be the subject of a special probe,” he demanded.
See post below
Presidential State Capture
– Did President Akufo-Addo gift our public lands to his daughter and niece?
– President Akufo-Addo and the Lands Commission must come clean before the 7th of January, 2025.
– Official Lands Commission documents secured by SOA Oversight as far back… pic.twitter.com/o9XU8BMeH2
— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) December 23, 2024