The Lands Commission has vehemently denied media reports claiming the official residence of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament at Cantonments has been sold to a private developer.
The Commission, in an official statement released on Monday, refuted any suggestion of a sale and clarified the status of the property.
“At no point in time was the said property sold to a private developer by the Lands Commission,” the statement said.
Acting Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Benjamin Arthur who signed the statement said the records available to the Commission suggest the land in question was acquired in 1920 for government services and has been used as the official residence of the Speaker of Parliament since 2003.
“Parliamentary Service sought to regularize their occupation of the land by applying for a Certificate of Allocation in November 2022.”
“After completing all statutory processes, including planning approval from the La Dadekotopon Municipal Assembly, the Regional Lands Commission approved the application in December 2022,” he said.
According to him, the Lands Commission made an offer of allocation to the Parliamentary Service on February 14, 2023.
The offer was accepted, and after the payment of requisite fees, a Certificate of Allocation was issued to the Parliamentary Service on April 28, 2023.
“The Lands Commission is unaware of any purported sale of the Rt. Hon. Speaker of Parliament’s official residence to a private developer. We are committed to the prudent and efficient management of public lands in the national interest,” Arthur emphasized.
Affirming commitment to transparency and integrity in land administration, Arthur added, “We promote effective land administration that is anchored on the highest standards of integrity, transparency, and candor.”