The Daily Post Newspaper and Ghanaweb published articles suggesting that the government hires land guards, however, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR) has refuted these claims.
Prof. Patrick Agbesinyale, the Chief Director of MLNR, allegedly made the remarks, according to GhanaWeb.
It has been discovered that the Ghanaian government has hired land guards to stake claims to land or prevent it from being intruded upon, mostly through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR).
The information that security organizations like the army and police also employ these land guards for a variety of functions is even more concerning.
In a leaked audio recording from a parliamentary committee meeting on July 10, 2023, the chief director of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR), Prof. Patrick Agbesinyale, claimed that the government was using land guards to claim land in order to avoid the controversy and criticism that arise when it uses the police or army, adding that attempts to do so by land guards have resulted in deaths.
However, a statement by the lands ministry has downplayed the allegations.
“The ministry would like to set the records straight that government and for that matter, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources does not contract the services of land guards in its operations”
The press statement revealed that” the ministry through its agency, the lands commission legally engaged the services of Aynok Holding Limited, a registered limited liability company to assist in reclaiming encroached government lands in 2012.″
–MLNR
