By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The New Patriotic Party (NPP)- led Minority caucus in Parliament has called for the immediate reversal of the ban on State land transactions.
President John Mahama, as part of his administration’s effort to halt the rampant sale of state lands to political elites and influential individuals in society, ordered the immediate cessation of all activities related to the sale, lease, or processing of transactions involving State and public lands.
The President went further to direct officials at the Lands Commission to halt all processing of State lands into individual or groups of individuals or organisations.
The directive, which seems to go against some top political elites of the immediate past NPP-administration has sparked a renew calls by the NPP Members of Parliament (MPs) urging President Mahama to reverse his directive.
Speaking on the floor of Parliament on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, MP for Subin Constituency in the Ashanti region, Mr. Kofi Obiri Yeboah, claimed that the sweeping nature of President Mahama’s directive could harm legitimate landholders and stall economic activity.
“Although the President’s decision may aim at safeguarding public lands, these directives may also affect individuals and corporate entities who may have legitimately acquired interests in these lands,” Mr. Obiri Yeboah argued.
According to him, if the government genuinely believes the private sector is the engine of growth, then such a ban undermines its economic principles.
“The government, as a matter of urgency, should lift the ban,” he stressed.
The Subin lawmaker, per his logic, Ghana is potentially losing revenue, noting that the Lands Commission generates significant income through stamp duties, consent fees, and lease preparations all of which contribute to the Consolidated Fund.
“A continued halt will adversely impact the Consolidated Fund,” he cried.
