The former President Mahama-led administration leased over four acres of unnumbered plots of land to former President Jerry John Rawlings, documents sighted by Starrfmonline.com has revealed.
The lands along the Sekou Toure Street, Ridge in Accra were leased to the founder of the National Democratic Congress in 2016 at a yearly irrevocable rent of GHS10 for 99 years, renewable for 50 years after expiration, for purposes of establishing the Rawlings Foundation.
Former Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Nii Osah Mills, who confirmed the transaction to Class FM said the allocation of the property was part of the former President’s “entitlement”.
According to Mr. Osah Mills, similar arrangements were made to former President Kufuor by the previous NDC administration but failed to give details on how the lands were rented out to the former NPP leader.
“Lands have also been allocated to former president Kufuor close by former president Rawlings’ residence, which is the area in question. That area actually encompasses the residence of former president Rawlings, where he is staying currently, a fairly large compound…since former president Kufuor is not buying any land or any property from the government, it’s a question of again providing a space of land for him to house him as it were.
“It followed, from what I believe and understand, from the fact that former President Rawlings should be housed.
“This was done on advice of technical people in the Lands Commission, that is, in the form of, can I say, a grant. It [could not] be a freehold, it had to be a lease. …It had to do with the need and the requirement for the housing of former President JJ Rawlings; basically that’s what it’s all about because he lives there and then he could use part of it, I believe, as an office.”
Former President Rawlings wrote back to the government accepting the offer.
