Jake Obetsebi Lamptey insists if his quest to be leased the No.2 Mungo Street, Ridge property in Accra is immoral, then President John Mills and Vice President John Mahama are equally guilty because they have once benefitted from the sale of state properties.
The NPP chair in an interview with Joy News expressed utter shock why Cabinet, the highest decision making body of the executive, will meet over his legitimate acquisition of a property when there are far more important issues of national interest to deal with.
“At a time when the minority was bringing to the attention of this government the fact that according to the government itself, the former Attorney General and the Minister of Finance had paid to CP on dubious ground €94 million without authority to cabinet or authority of the President.
“…At a time when Polytechnic teachers seem to be going on strike; at a time when your doctors seem to be going on strike, Cabinet does not hold any special meeting or come out with a special statement. Instead Cabinet sits there to discuss Jake Obetsebi Lamptey’s property,” he lamented.
Cabinet issued a statement shortly after the Supreme Court had in a 6-3 verdict dismissed a suit filed by Deputy Ministers of Information and Sports, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Dr Edward Omane Boamah respectively challenging Jake Obetsebi Lamptey’s acquisition of the Ridge property.
He said Cabinet’s decision cannot by any stretch of the imagination be said to be in the interest of Ghana, insisting, “How can it be more in the supreme interest of this country to talk about a 400,000 dollars lease rather than a €94 million rip-off of the people of Ghana?”
He said the current phenomenon in which a small bungalow which could only house a single family is allowed to sit on a big tract of land did not make any sense.
“I cannot see how one family sitting on that piece of land is more in the supreme interest of the people of Ghana than having at least six families on the same land,” he opined.
Per his lease agreement which is for 50 years, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey said he intended to build at least four storeys with different apartments to house at least six families.
He explained that the $400,000 he paid for the lease agreement for the property could also be used in building six bedroom flats to house at least six families.
He would not accept issues of morality, insisting he followed due process in the acquisition of the property.
Jake Obestebi Lamptey said he would together with his lawyers communicate their next line of action after government’s statement not to sell the land.
Joy Online