New audio released by the Tamale North MP, Alhassan Suhuyini has the Chief Director of the Lands and Natural Resources Ministry, Prof Patrick Agbesinyale alleging that the supposed land guard used by the government has connections in the judiciary and the media who aid his work.

In this latest audio released by the lawmaker on Wednesday, July 19, the Lands Ministry’s Chief Director claimed that the supposed Gyato has a setup working for him.  

According to him, due to his connections within the government and state institutions, he has not been punished for his illegal activities. 

Prof Patrick Agbesinyale alleged that this land guard was set up in 2008 during former President John Kufuor's era when the then government reclaimed a certain encroached land at Weija and received a heavy public backlash. 

“So, he has a s special set up. I think the idea was that anytime the government apparatus; the police, military among others are seen going out there to claim lands, you know the hullabaloo and backlash the government receives.”

“So, what they do is that you would set up somebody like this and the government would literally be hiding behind it so he can reclaim government lands. It was when h came to the ministry and I saw on this. I didn’t know about all this hullabaloo about government land being reclaimed and people reacting this way.”

“I remember vividly this issue at Weija in 2008 during president Kufuor's time, and I think that there was a very serious backlash and what the government at the time did was to set up this guy.”

“So, when I interrogated the set up of Gyato, I realized that he works with the military, he has his squad, he had his own police, he has media and has people in the judiciary.”

But the police, military and the government have denied the claims attributed to the Chief Director.

Meanwhile, Professor Patrick Agbesinyale earlier today, Wednesday, refuted claims that he had said that government engages the services of land guards to assist in reclaiming encroached lands.

Appearing before the Public Account Committee (PAC) on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, Prof. Agbesinyale denied the attributions.

He insisted that he never said the government engages the services of land guards to reclaim encroached lands.

“I think I take exception to that reportage. I think land guard, unfortunately, is a terminology that all of us do not want to be associated with, at least we know what land guards are, they are illegal entities that operate and engage in all forms of criminal activities, I can’t imagine saying government uses land guards,” he explained.

The Chief Director added that “We cannot attribute land guards to our respectable security agencies, it’s unfair and I personally take a very strong exception to that, because I never mentioned land guard in my submission to the committee, I never,” he concluded.

Background 

On Monday, July 17, some Minority MPs on the Lands and Forestry Committee of Parliament accused the government of engaging the services of land guards for the retrieval and protection of government lands.

The Minority members made the allegation based on statements allegedly made by the Chief Director of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Professor Patrick Agbesinyale, during a meeting with the Committee.

According to a leaked tape gone viral on social media, a male voice said to be that of Professor Patrick Agbesinyale accused the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service of being in alliance with a particular land guard.

In view of this, the Deputy Ranking Member on the Lands and Forestry Committee of Parliament, Alhassan Suhuyini, lamented the lack of commitment on the part of the government to combat land guard activities.

“The other shocking revelation according to the Chief Director is that even the Ghana Armed Forces and the Police use this same land guard to protect their lands. So, if the military and the police cannot protect their own lands and have to resort to the use of a land guard, then what will be the fate of the common Ghanaian who wants to acquire land and is faced with land guards?” he quizzed.

Already, the government and the two state security agencies have denied claims of any involvement with land guards in their quest to reclaim portions of encroached lands by illegal squatters.