The decision by the National Security Coordinator, Col. Anthony Gbevlo-Lartey to confiscate state lands which have fallen into individual lands, has attracted reactions from various quarters of the political divide, with the latest one coming the NPP MP for Manhyia, Hon. Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, who is challenging the rationalization behind the Security Capo's move. Hon. Dr. Prempeh, popularly known as "Dr. Napo", is questioning the justification of the decision by the National Security Coordinator to retrieve the said lands, particularly from members of the previous administration, when evidence are clear that officials in both the current and previous regimes of the NDC have been direct beneficiaries of the policy. The Manhyia MP said he cannot rationalize the sense in the decision taken by Col. Gbevlo-Lartey, stressing that the government is only being vindictive, petty and being selective in application of the rule. Speaking to The Chronicle in reaction to the publication by the paper last Monday, in which certain officials of the former administration were cited as possible targets of Col. Gbevlo-Lartey's fiat, Dr. Napo said the acquisition of state lands by individuals was something which had been done from time immemorial, and did not see any sense in trying to retrieve these lands, which were acquired by the said individuals through legitimate means. According to him, the practice started from the time of Ghana’S first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, through to Busia's regime and up to the administration of the NDC under Mr. Jeny John Rawlings, and could not fathom the basis upon which the government wants to seize those lands. He noted that there is ample, evidence to show that a substantial number of public officials, including personalities in both the current and previous regimes of the NDC had benefited from the plan. "Since the time of Nkrumah, state lands have been leased to individuals, look at Awudome, Nyaniba Estates in Accra, right to the time of Busia where lands at Dansoma in Accra, Ahinsan Estates and other first class areas in both Kumasi and Accra; they were all sold out to people who could afford, so what is Gbevlo-Lartey talking about?," he argued. "Tell me who owns the buildings behind the State House, GIF and the American Embassy; are they not being occupied by government officials?," he questioned. Dr. Napo further intimated that during the era of the NDC, under ex-President Rawlings, lands at places like Sakumono, Adjiriganoo, and the rest were sold out to some public officials, adding "who owns the Ian s at West and East Legon and Airport lands, are they not being occupied by the Ahwois and the Betty Moulds? The Manhyia MP further noted that “Brigadier Nunnoo Mensah claims he bought his land way back in 1978; but what difference does it make, the fact that someone did not have the luxury to acquire the land in the past but has bought it now does not make it different." He observed that the government's decision smacks of jealousy, pettiness and selective justice, which according to him, would lead to nowhere. This is an exercise in futility; it's a clear case of political vindictiveness and jealousy," he noted. Source: The Chronicle