The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel AbuJinapor, has extended the time for the Sole Inquirer into the investigation of the Bulgarian Embassy land issue to April 26, 2022 to present his report.
The extension followed a request by the Sole Inquirer, Justice KwasiAntoOfori-Atta, a retired justice of the High Court, who was appointed on March 18, 2022.
Justice KwasiAntoOfori-Atta was given seven days to present a Report on the Bulgarian Embassy land issue and one month period to present his Report on matters relating to the lands occupied by the diplomatic missions in Ghana.
However, following the commencement of his investigations, the Sole Inquirer said he found the issues considerably complex and needed more time to deal exhaustively with all the issue.
In a statement issued and copied to the Ghanaian Times in Accra yesterday, it said the Minister had therefore extended the time to April 26, 2022 for the Sole Inquirer to present his report.
“The Minister hoped to be presented with the full facts to enable him act decisively and comprehensivelyon the issue,” the statement said.
The issue of the Bulgarian Embassy is a land dispute between the Embassy and a private developer in an alleged encroachment and demolishing of property on a land being used by the Bulgarian Embassy.
Media report earlier, indicated that, government had a hand in the issue but the Minister, Mr Jinapor in a visit with his team at the site on March 16, 2022 to ascertain the veracity or otherwise of the reportsindicated that government had no hand in the alleged demolishing exercise, and therefore the need, to commission full investigations into the matter.
He, therefore, ordered work to stop on the site until further notice.
Reconstruction works by the private developer started since 2017.
But the Minister, Mr Jinapor said the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who was once the Minister of Foreign Affairs Regional Integration, would not authorise any action that would affect diplomatic relations or Ghana’s obligation under international law.
He said Government was committed to maintaining the cordial relationship it kept with Diplomatic Missions in the country.
BY TIMES REPORTER
