The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, yesterday inaugurated a 20-member Greater Accra Public Lands Protection Taskforce to strengthen efforts to safeguard public lands in the region.
The taskforce, made up of representatives from the Lands Commission, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Armed Forces and the private sector, is expected to protect public lands and support the recovery of state lands that have been unlawfully occupied.
Speaking at the ceremony in Accra yesterday, Mr Buah described the protection of public lands as a national priority, stressing that such lands were strategic assets needed to support development, infrastructure and public services.
He noted that illegal occupation and encroachment on state lands had led to significant losses to the country.
The Minister emphasised that public lands were not meant for individual exploitation or unlawful occupation, but must be preserved for national development and public use.
Mr Buah explained that the taskforce had been mandated to monitor, inspect and protect public lands across the Greater Accra Region, respond to reports of encroachment and support the enforcement of lawful directives on land protection.
He urged members to carry out their duties with professionalism, fairness and integrity.
The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Yusif Sulemana, also advised members to discharge their responsibilities with accountability, transparency and integrity.
He cautioned against any conduct that could undermine the taskforce’s mandate and assured members of the Ministry’s full support, adding that their work would be closely monitored.
Speaking on behalf of the taskforce chairperson, a representative of the committee assured the minister and the ministry of the members’ commitment to the assignment.
He pledged that the taskforce would carry out its duties diligently, act in the national interest and work to protect public lands.
Similar taskforces are expected to be inaugurated in the remaining regions of the country.
BY TIMES REPORTER
Follow our WhatsApp Channel now! https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbAjG7g3gvWajUAEX12Q
