The lands commission in the northern region has denied allegations of selling the Tamale Timber market to a private developer. The commission said it has not given or served anybody doing business in the market eviction notice and ask the public disregard any such information.
The commission also clarified that per their records, the timber is not a property of the forestry commission but rather situated in the state land which is covered by planning scheme or a layout.
Responding to the minority leader and MP for Tamale south demands on government to reverse the decision at a press conference in Tamale, Chairman of the lands commission, Lawyer Dubik Mahama Yakubu said traders at the market have been doing business on the land for several years now without paying anything to the state.
The minority leader during his meeting with some traders alleged that the said land was the property of the forestry commission which has been offered for sale to private developers while operatives of the timber market have been given notices to vacate the place.
But the Mr Dubik Mahama said;’’ the lands commission finds this statement by the Hon. Member rather unfortunate and very misleading. The commission wishes to inform the general public and, particularly people doing business in the market that the timber market has not been sold to anybody’’.
The chairman explained that the commission is trying to regularized their stay by requesting them to apply for lease to cover their holdings. This, the commission chairman said will provide security of tenure to the traders adding that the commission mooted the idea last year and commence discussions with their leadership. Mr Dubik explained further that plot was leased to the developer for an ultramodern super market complex is a commercial plot by the road side between Aboabu commercial bank branch and the Shell fuel station.
Part of it, he said was used by the defunct Ghana National Trading Corporation (GNTC). The lands commission chairman also explained that alleged indiscriminate disposition of public lands in Tamale adding that it is inconceivable however for anybody to attempt to move these people from there and give the place to another person.
“I wish to submit that the lands commission as a constitutional body exists, among other things, to manage public lands. This didn’t begin with this current government and will not end with it’’ he said. He emphasized that the commission doesn’t sell lands but leases them to developers for the benefit of society.
He maintained that the commission follows due process in allocating lands in Northern, North East and Savannah regions and that he won’t as a professional lawyer intend to superintend over mismanagement of lands.
’’The lands commission under me is not prepared to see Tamale lamps into slums, especially when it concerns state lands. It is important to note that it is this lapsing administration that for the first time been able to established all the boundaries of state lands in Tamale’’.