The Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, has fingered President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and two of the president’s family relations in his latest state capture exposé.
In a post shared on social media on Monday, December 23, 2024, the MP indicated that Lands Commission documents he has intercepted reveal the sketchy circumstances through which some state lands holding properties currently owned by one of President Akufo-Addo’s daughters, Edwina Akufo-Addo; and his niece, Adeline Akufo-Addo Kufuor, were acquired.
According to Ablakwa, who was recently appointed chairman of the preparatory committee of President-Elect John Dramani Mahama’s anti-corruption policy, Operation-Recover-All-Loot (ORAL), the documents indicated that the land holding the properties owned by Akufo-Addo’s daughter and niece are still state property.
For the land holding the property supposedly owned by Edwina Akufo-Addo, Nsuomnam Restaurant, the MP indicated that there are two conflicting documents on its land ownership.
“In the case of land occupied by Nsuomnam, the Lands Commission has two conflicting records on the same piece of land. Following an 8th September, 2024 formal search application by my oversight team, the Lands Commission issued a Search Certificate signed by Elder Ekow Edwards, Assistant Geomatics Engineer dated September 10, 2024.
“The Search Certificate with Job Number: LCGACS320223852024 indicates that the Nsuomnam land which covers 1.19 acres (0.46Ha) is State Land acquired under Certificate of Title dated August 23, 1894, for Hausa Reserve. (See attached). This particular Search Certificate also states that there is no plotted activity,” he wrote.
He added, “Strangely, another formal search on the same Nsuomnam land carried out earlier on 21st August 2024 produced a different outcome. This time the Lands Commission official Search Certificate with Job Number: LCGACS292485782024 and signed by the same Elder Ekow Edwards presents the following contrasting history: State Land acquired on August 23, 1894, for Hausa Reserve; leased to Johnson Boateng Siriboe for 99 years by Government on 03/06/1969; Mortgage dated 26/02/1970 from Johnson Boateng Siriboe to Barclays Bank D.C.O. (See attached).”
For the land holding the property of Akufo-Addo’s niece, The Lotte, an elite fashion house, Ablakwa said that documents of the Land Commission show that it still belongs to the state.
“The official search certificate pursuant to our application has Job Number: LCGACS292534972024 and is dated 26th August 2024. It is signed by Collins Tetteh, Assistant Land Administration Officer. (See attached). Significantly, the records at the Lands Commission indicate that the land in issue which covers 0.33 acres (0.13Ha) remains a State Land acquired under a Certificate of Title dated August 23, 1894, for Hausa Reserve.
“The Lands Commission adds that this land has not been affected by any plotted activity. From the Lands Commission’s records, it remains a mystery how the President’s niece came to possess that land and why official records do not reflect recent actual developments on that piece of land. There is also no record of lease or payment for that piece of prime Cantonments land,” he said.
The MP asked the Lands Commission to come clear on the status of the land.
He asked whether President Akufo-Addo has “gifted our public lands to his daughter and niece,” adding, “President Akufo-Addo and the Lands Commission must come clean before the 7th of January, 2025.”
He also shared the documents he intercepted on the ownership of the said lands.
See his full post below plus the documents below:
Presidential State Capture
- Did President Akufo-Addo gift our public lands to his daughter and niece?
- President Akufo-Addo and the Lands Commission must come clean before the 7th of January, 2025.
- Official Lands Commission documents secured by SOA Oversight as far back as August and September 2024 will expose any last-minute attempt to falsify records.
Article 257(1) of the 1992 Constitution vests all public lands in the President of Ghana to be held on behalf of, and in trust for, the people of Ghana.
The President’s daughter, Edwina Akufo-Addo is the proud owner of the upmarket Nsuomnam Restaurant while the President’s niece Adeline Akufo-Addo Kufuor owns The Lotte, an elite fashion house.
Both businesses which are about 4 years old were established in close proximity on prime Cantonments land after Akufo-Addo was elected President.
Diligent parliamentary oversight conducted over many months has confirmed that the prime cantonment land used for both private investments by the politically exposed Edwina and Adeline are Public Lands.
The Lotte
A formal search by my oversight team dated August 21, 2024, at the Lands Commission confirms that the land being occupied by The Lotte is public land.
The official search certificate pursuant to our application has Job Number: LCGACS292534972024 and is dated 26th August 2024. It is signed by Collins Tetteh, Assistant Land Administration Officer. (See attached).
Significantly, the records at the Lands Commission indicate that the land in issue which covers 0.33 acre (0.13Ha) remains a State Land acquired under Certificate of Title dated August 23, 1894 for Hausa Reserve.
The Lands Commission adds that the this land has not been affected by any plotted activity.
From the Lands Commission’s records, it remains a mystery how the President’s niece came to possess that land and why official records do not reflect recent actual developments on that piece of land.
There is also no record of lease or payment for that piece of prime Cantonments land.
It is also worthy of note that the current use of the land for the nearly five-year-old fashion boutique is not the original purpose for the state’s acquisition raising more legal infractions.
Nsuomnam Restaurant
Things get more tricky here.
Note that the President’s daughter, Edwina Akufo-Addo incorporated Nsuomnam Limited on August 6, 2020.
Edwina and Awo Mensah, the mother of Alvin Mensah of the infamous US$ 108 million Ambulance heist are both directors. (See intercepted incorporation documents of Nsuomnam attached).
In the case of land occupied by Nsuomnam, the Lands Commission has two conflicting records on the same piece of land.
Following an 8th September 2024 formal search application by my oversight team, the Lands Commission issued a Search Certificate signed by Elder Ekow Edwards, Assistant Geomatic Engineer dated September 10, 2024.
The Search Certificate with Job Number: LCGACS320223852024 indicates that the Nsuomnam land which covers 1.19 acre (0.46Ha) is State Land acquired under Certificate of Title dated August 23, 1894, for Hausa Reserve. (See attached).
This particular Search Certificate also states that there is no plotted activity.
Strangely, another formal search on the same Nsuomnam land carried out earlier on 21st August 2024 produced a different outcome.
This time the Lands Commission official Search Certificate with Job Number: LCGACS292485782024 and signed by the same Elder Ekow Edwards presents the following contrasting history: State Land acquired on August 23, 1894 for Hausa Reserve; leased to Johnson Boateng Siriboe for 99 years by Government on 03/06/1969;
Mortgage dated 26/02/1970 from Johnson Boateng Siriboe to Barclays Bank D.C.O. (Do find attached).
It must be noted that even with this second conflicting Search Certificate, the original 1894 state acquisition is not in dispute.
It is particularly unacceptable and most condemnable that the ever complicit Lands
Presidential State Capture
— Sam Okudzeto Ablakwa (@S_OkudzetoAblak) December 23, 2024
– Did President Akufo-Addo gift our public lands to his daughter and niece?
– President Akufo-Addo and the Lands Commission must come clean before the 7th of January, 2025.
– Official Lands Commission documents secured by SOA Oversight as far back… pic.twitter.com/o9XU8BMeH2
