Akim Swedru MP and former Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Kennedy Osei Nyarko, is facing allegations of purchasing state-owned land valued at $700,000 for a mere ¢42,000. The claims suggest that Nyarko leveraged his ministerial position to facilitate the acquisition at a significantly reduced price.
The controversy emerged following a tweet by the ORAL committee chair and member of parliament for North Tongu, Okudzeto Ablakwa, who shared documents purportedly evidencing the transaction.
According to Ablakwa, the land purchase was facilitated with approval from the then-president Akufo-Addo which allowed the Swedru MP to pay a paltry sum of ¢10,500 every year between January 1 of 2021 and December 31 of 2024 – totaling ¢42,000 for a 99 lease.
“From the Lands Commission’s records, Hon. Kennedy Osei Nyarko now owns the prestigious land in issue for 99 years (from 1st January, 2021 to 31st December, 2120). The unbelievable terms of this sweetheart deal only required the MP to pay an annual ground rent of a meagre GHS10,500.00 from 1st January, 2021 to 31st December, 2024 amounting to GHS42,000.00 (US$2,800.00) for him to take over the land, he stated”
Read More:
- Mahama Will Expand Free SHS – Haruna Iddrisu
- Mahama Sets up Constitutional Review Committee
- ‘I Was Depressed’ – Serwaa Amihere Speaks on Viral Video Leak
The Land in Question
According to the expose, the said state land housed staff of the agricultural mechanization and members of the Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association but was illegally rezoned without prior approval from parliament forcing the occupants to relocate their duties.
Value of Land at Cantonment
According to meqasa, the average price is ₵31,935,881, while the cheapest land available starts at ₵1,680,107, and the most expensive costs ₵151,191,322. These lands are listed by verified realtors, property owners, and well-known real estate developers.
The prevailing market price of a plot of land at the time of purchase was $700,000 as a lump sum after which one was required to pay a mandatory ground rent to authorities.
However, the former Deputy Minister of Agriculture had other plans aside from his mandate to safeguard the sector ministry he was assigned to and that included using his position to buy public lands at heavily discounted prices under questionable circumstances.
“The irony is that this is the Cantonments Agric Mechanization land Hon. Kennedy Osei Nyarko should have been keen on protecting as a former Deputy Agric Minister. He should not have actively colluded with elements in the former administration to illegally rezone without parliamentary approval, forcefully evict staff of Agric Mechanization and members of the Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association just because he and a few politically exposed persons covet the choice land,” he added.
Kennedy Osei Nyarko has been serving as the MP for his constituency since 2013. In November 2017, he was appointed Deputy Minister of Agriculture, a position he held until 2021.
As of now, Nyarko has not publicly addressed the allegations.
