The Parliamentary Service of Ghana has officially addressed the controversy surrounding the residence of the Speaker of Parliament, revealing that buildings neighbouring the Speaker's residence have been sold to private developers.
This disclosure raises safety and security concerns for the Speaker, as highlighted in a statement issued by the Parliamentary Service.
The statement, released on Wednesday, emphasizes that high-rise apartments have been constructed around the Speaker's residence, turning it into an “island” and potentially endangering the safety and security of the Rt. Hon. Speaker Alban Bagbin.
This revelation follows Speaker Bagbin's earlier disclosure at the Speaker's Breakfast Forum in Accra on Monday, November 20, where he revealed that his residence was almost sold to a private developer while he still occupied the premises.
The issue came to light when the developer attempted to register the land at the Lands Commission.
In response, the Lands Commission issued a statement on Monday, denying any sale of the property to a private developer.
However, the Parliamentary Service, in its statement on Wednesday, contradicts this, affirming that surrounding buildings and parcels of land have indeed been sold to private developers.
The statement from the Parliamentary Service underscores the importance of transparency in the attempted sale of the Speaker's residence for the sake of public confidence in state institutions.
Meanwhile, Lands Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor has taken action, requesting the presence of top officials from the Lands Commission on Tuesday, November 21, to gather firsthand information on the attempted sale of Speaker Bagbin's residence in Cantonments to a private developer.