Opinions of Friday, 27 February 2015

Columnist: Kofi

To Ghana authorities about land issues

I write to you as I have realised the lack of serious control of the local entrepreneurs in container shops on government land that do not seem to have any security in their business despite agreement with authorities in the community supposed to be in charge of the area where they have their shops.

I came to Ghana and married a lady with a container shop and before we developed this to a modern container shop I asked her to go to rent control to see if it was ok to invest in this container.

The Madina community officer wrote a paper that she was allowed to run her business at that location in Agbogba close to the police station. We invested GH 10 000 Cedis in the container less than 5 months ago and now they say that they will destroy all those container shops in that area for some unknown reasons (Is this a way for the community or chiefs to get bribes) or lack of control and nobody to take care of private entrepreneurs' investment and work (important for the country's developments)??)

After this I have realized that there is no control of public places where a lot of people have their income from small stores and also a lot of houses have been demolished because of lack of control and too much bribes in the system.

If I won't see a change about this subject (get containers destroyed for no dissent reason and no information ahead that could prevent it.) as I do not trust the control system in Ghana after this situation in Agbogba that appears again disappointing of the lack of control and of preventive long time planning system in Ghana.

I do not mind to give you advice in many areas to build up control system and prevention of this situation. I do hope you can find a solution to this problem.

Thank you for your time.

I look forward to your answer as they have threatened my wife with destroying the containers in the next coming weeks (Despite the container owners paper on legislation of their business by community officers).

If I do not see a positive result = NO damage of the containers around Agbogba container police station, I will make my investment outside this country and do what I can to stop people from doing investment in Ghana property as there is no control to trust.

Best regards

Kofi (European married in Ghana with intention to start up a business)

This letter will be sent to the Government, newspapers and TV channels to start a discussion of making Ghana business more secure and develop the country in a safe way and help people to do investment in government controlled land where the government could make money out of it as renting out land for container business in a controlled way and safe for the investors.

And if chiefs covering government areas need money they should get it from the rent money the government get from business owners when they pay the government for the rent of land.

With today's GPS map control world it would be easy to make a safe land system for all land issues.

The technology is here and now there is only a decision to use it, and the land commission have already got money from World Bank to digitalise Ghana maps that are needed for land control issues. I can help you with this issue if you ask for it.

If you need help to implement new technology and new ID system I can help you to have it done. It is a disgrace for Ghana that small business entrepreneurs do not have any support from government as they are the ones who make the country running the day to day functions.

Another disgrace is the lack of long time planning in the country about road quality, power supply, Healthcare, rabies prevention, and garbage all over the country that keep tourists away.

Best regards from Kofi - European background