Kumasi, March 15, GNA - Prof Dominic Fobi, the Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, has denied speculation in certain circles that the inventory exercise of state occupied lands the government is undertaking was a ploy to acquire more land from the chiefs.
He said the inventory exercise was designed to help the government to be abreast with the history of state acquired lands and evolve a more appropriate strategy for utilisation of such lands. Prof Fobi said this when he addressed the opening session of a two-day workshop the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines organised for chiefs of the National House of Chiefs on the land Administration Project (LAP) the government is undertaking.
The workshop was to educate the chiefs on the LAP and its significance to enable them to contribute to its successful implementation.
Prof Fobih said, "The government does not intend acquiring any more lands since it believes in private sector ownership." He said as part of measures to reduce the backlog of land cases in the law courts and enhance efficient administration of land resources, the government was in consultation with the Chief Justice for the setting up of a lands court.
Odeneho Gyapong Ababio, President of the NHC, said even though the government had compensated some chiefs for lands acquired some others have not been paid.
"This is a source of worry to many chiefs so there is a need for the government to speed up efforts at paying such compensation", he said.
Odeneho Gyapong Ababio appealed to chiefs to exercise restraint and allow the government time to address the compensation problem.