General News of Saturday, 21 March 2015

Source: starrfmonline.com

GAF: We aren't selling army lands to private developers

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has dismissed claims that there is wanton sale of properties belonging to the military to private developers.

Some retired soldiers belonging to a group called Alliance for safeguarding the integrity of the security services (ASISS) in a recent statement alleged that there is indiscriminate sale of lands and other properties belonging to the military to private developers.

The civil society organisation said its statement is meant to “vehemently protest against indiscriminate sale” of army properties in the country because the practice has “the potential to inhibit future development and expansion of the service.”

“We have convincing evidence that Ghana Armed Forces properties, including places of historic importance are being sold to private developers,” ASISS alleged in its statement jointly signed by Lt Col A Serebour (rtd), Wg Cdr BA Asamoah (rtd) and Major N Mensah (rtd).

The group listed among the properties being sold as: No.1 Roman Ridge Residence, Army Officers Mess, 1 Drake Avenue, Labadi Villa’s land, Teshie Camp and some Garrisons around the country.

These properties, according to the retired soldiers are being sold to private developers to be used for shopping malls, hotels, private hospitals, filling stations among others.

But in a press statement issued Friday and signed by Lt Col E Aggrey-Quashie, GAF said the group has no basis for the allegations.

“The attention of the Ghana Armed Forces has been drawn to the press statement by a group calling itself the Alliance for safeguarding the integrity of the security agencies in which the group allege that the Ghana armed forces is indiscriminately selling its lands to private developers.

“GAF wishes to state that the various allegations made by the group are either false or half-truths,” the statement said.