The land dispute involving Prof. Adu Appiah, a senior advisor to the Vice President, and the Ghana Prisons Service has recently become the subject of widespread controversy, spurred by allegations from the Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa. However, an in-depth investigation reveals a different picture, one rooted in legal documentation and verified by authoritative sources.
In 2005, Prof. Adu Appiah lawfully purchased a parcel of land from the Lands Commission. According to checks at the Lands Commission, this transaction was carried out following all established legal protocols. Importantly, no evidence suggests any involvement or influence from former President Kufuor or any other political figures in this acquisition as claimed by Mr. Ablakwa.
Problems arose when the Ghana Prisons Service claimed that a portion of Prof. Appiah’s land overlapped with land they owned. Despite Prof. Appiah’s numerous attempts to resolve the matter amicably, the Prisons Service remained unyielding. This forced Prof. Appiah to seek legal redress in 2021 to assert his ownership rights.
Court documents available detail the subsequent legal battle. The Lands Commission conducted a comprehensive survey, confirming that the disputed land did not belong to the Prisons Service. This critical evidence formed the basis of the court’s ruling, which decisively favored Prof. Appiah.
Further, the Attorney General’s Department reviewed the case and found no grounds for an appeal from the Prisons Service, effectively upholding the court’s decision.
Recently, Mr. Ablakwa made headlines by accusing Prof. Appiah of using national security personnel to demolish property at the Boster institution in Roman Ridge. However, these allegations have been categorically denied by Prof. Appiah and are unsupported by evidence.
An aide to Prof. Appiah has stated unequivocally that he has never engaged national security forces for such purposes. This claim is corroborated by several sources close to the issue, who emphasize that any assertion to the contrary is baseless and without merit.
Despite the court ruling in his favor, Prof. Appiah continues to face obstacles in taking lawful possession of the land. The Ghana Prisons Service has reportedly stationed armed guards on the disputed property, an action that not only contravenes legal norms but also undermines the authority of the judiciary.
The land dispute between Prof. Adu Appiah and the Ghana Prisons Service is a complex issue, steeped in legal and procedural intricacies. Despite misleading public allegations, the facts, as confirmed by court documents and checks at the Lands Commission, clearly support Prof. Appiah’s ownership of the land.
