The Minister-Designate for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has taken a firm stance against the undervaluation of public lands, insisting that future transactions must reflect prevailing market rates to safeguard the interests of Ghanaians.
During his vetting by Parliament’s Appointments Committee on Monday, January 27, Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah criticized the current practice where public lands are sold at only 25% of their market value, with the remainder paid through ground rent.
He described this system as harmful to national development and a loss of vital revenue for the country.
“The guidelines for the sale of public lands, according to the Lands Commission, value them at 25%, and that 25% is what is sold, with the rest paid through ground rent. This practice will no longer continue,” he stated.
“First of all, public lands should not be sold. If there is ever a need to sell, it must be done at the full market value to ensure Ghanaians are not shortchanged.”
Mr. Armah-Kofi Buah pledged to address these challenges, ensuring greater accountability and prioritizing the protection of Ghana’s state-owned assets for the collective benefit of its citizens.
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