THERE is no doubt about the fact that land, which is listed as one of the factors of production, is an indispensable asset necessary for human existence.
Indeed, such is its overwhelming importance that without it no productive activity, on the strength of which any wealth can be generated to sustain society, can be undertaken.
Ethnic and regional groupings and nations acting individually and collectively have waged war on account of disputes over land and what is contained in it.
This is why any nation and people who aspire to become a developed, independent, sovereign and prosperous nation would not only hold land dear to its heart but also consciously craft a progressive policy for its acquisition and use.
It is no secret that this was the philosophy behind the decision of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, the Founder of this Republic, to acquire large tracts of land across the length and breadth of the country in the early days of the life of the nation and later.
Regrettably, in the recent past we have, under various guises, witnessed the subversion of this good intent and the massive expropriation of the state of these lands and their appropriation by state officials, their relatives, friends, acquaintances and cronies.
Indeed, this has ignited what many label as ‘land grab’ via officialdom or the scramble for state lands with official blessing and support.
We find it ironic that in the face of this development, the government has had to contend with a huge land deficit to prosecute its development agenda and has many a time had to resort to other means to obtain land for developmental purposes at a prohibitive cost.
It is worthy of note to point out that many political appointees, top civil and public servants and workers whose labour, toil and sacrifice have kept the nation going cannot be housed by the state largely on account of this retrogressive action.
In areas in Accra such as Ridge, Cantonments, Airport Residential Area, La, etc, public servants who have had to contend with low salaries and conditions of service over the years have had to be ejected to make way for these beneficiaries, some of who are reported to have already sold these lands they bought so cheaply at between 40 and 50 times what they paid to the state, if, indeed, they paid at all.
We are aware that there are regulations in this country which enjoin the state to return lands no longer needed for the purposes for which they were acquired to their original owners, at least as a matter of first instance.
This accords with equity, the principles of justice and fairness in a democratic system worth its salt.
Already, in areas such as Accra, this ‘land grab’ has ignited tension and conflict and given birth to indigenous groupings such as the Ga Dangme Association vowing to wage a relentless struggle for the repossession of their lands and thus posing a serious threat to the peace, order and stability of the nation.
It is on account of this and other unhealthy developments arising from this ‘land grab’ that we applaud the government for halting this unhealthy measure in the name of the redevelopment of the capital.
According to the Deputy Minister of Information, Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the system had been so massively abused that the government had to intervene to remedy the situation (see fronts page).
We find it unacceptable that those who have made all the name and money on the back of public service and are in positions to buy land outside the domain of the state are the very ones grabbing these lands which could be developed for the benefit of millions of public servants and other working people.
Given that the government had made this a campaign promise, we urge that this net be expanded as wide as possible to ensure that all those who have abused the measure are made to return the lands and measures put in place to prevent its recurrence in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment