Kufuor denies grabbing state lands

Former president John Kufuor has

He said he never bought a state land or was in the process of acquiring one.

He was named among 415 past government officials and institutions who were beneficiaries of the distribution of cheap state lands in a recent report.

Spokesperson for the former President, Mr Frank Agyekum in an interview said Kufuor was supposed to have received his retirement benefit including a house and an office.

His reaction comes at the back of the Lands Minister John Peter Amewu who has stated that state lands were given away to cronies like "kelewele" [fried pieces of plantain] without following due process.

The sale of state lands and properties have always been under every regime has always been met with controversies.

The Rawlings’ administration was accused, under a divestiture programme, of selling state properties including the Nsawam cannery to the then first lady Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings.

The Kufuor administration was also accused by some Ga youth of selling Ga lands to cronies.

Mr Frank Agyekum said "The reality is that, the former president should have been given a house and an office as his retirement benefit, but the government was only able to present him the office. It was just in recent times the government gave him his office. Government said they will not be able to build him a house so that is why he was given a land. He is supposed to live there."