The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) inaugurated a nine-member committee to take stock of lands owned by the Ministry.

The committee is chaired by Mr Julius Opoku Agyei, a lawyer. The inauguration follows rampant and persistent encroach­ment of land belonging to the Ministry.

The other members of the committee include Mr Andy Appiah, ASP Peter S. Antwi, Ms Nana Yaa Nartey, Mr Winfred Kuma Apaw and Mr Clemence Gyato.

The rest are Mr William Arthur, Mr Paul Siameh, Minister and MOFA representa­tives.

Inaugurating the Committee, the sector Minister, Mr Bryan Acheampong, said encroachment of the ministry’s land throughout the country was indeed a mat­ter of grave concern, having assumed an alarming scale in recent times.

For instance, he said the disturbing phenomenon had not only resulted in the loss of large tracts of land reserved for agricultural purposes, but critically undermined the government’s efforts to promote the development of agriculture, adding that there were records of those lands being acquired through voluntary re­leases by traditional authorities to support agriculture.

The minister said that the government’s agricultural facilities on lands across the country had lost some part of their origi­nal land through rapid encroachment .

“The facilities include the establishment of breeding centres, training institutions, state farms, research stations and mechani­sation centres to name but a few. Various reasons have been assigned as the cause of this turn of events ranging from urbani­sation, inadequate protection of the lands and forceful takeovers on the expiration of leases among others,” he stated.

Mr Acheampong said he was hopeful that the committee members with their extensive experience and expertise would help protect the remaining vital assets of the ministry.

He said the committee was to complete its task and submit a final report within three months after its inauguration, and also provide interim progress reports periodically and update the minister on its activities.

Mr Agyei, on his part, thanked the min­istry for the confidence reposed in them, and assured that they would work hard to reclaim the lost lands.