Government says no selling of state property

Government on Wednesday declined its decision to sell a State bungalow to Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, National Chairman of New Patriotic Party, who bought the property when he was a Minister under President Kufuour’s administration.

A statement issued by Mr Fritz Baffour, Minister of Information on behalf of the Government said: “In the supreme interest of the people of Ghana, and taking cognisance of the Supreme Court ruling in the matter of Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey’s immoral acquisition of State Property he occupied as a Minister of State, Cabinet at its sitting…Thursday…has decided not to sell the said property.”

“The property in question thus continues to remain the property of the State.

“Cabinet has also decided that no political appointee should ever be allowed to engage in any unacceptable transaction,” the statement said.

The Supreme Court in a 6:3 majority verdict on Tuesday dismissed a suit by two deputy ministers, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Omane Boamah challenging Jake’s acquisition of the property situated at No. 2 Mungo Street, Ridge in Accra.

According to the Supreme Court ruling, the suit against Obetsebi Lamptey did not border on conflict of interest, whilst the plaintiffs failed to establish that due process was not followed in the acquisition of the bungalow.

Source: GNA