The North Tongu Member of Parliament, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has stated that the statement issued by the Lands and Natural Resources Minister to counter his claims about the sale of some state lands only sought to achieve partisan equalization.

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources refuted allegations by Mr Ablakwa that the current government is selling state lands to cronies.

The Ministry further clarified that the government lands under public scrutiny were sold during the previous administration of John Mahama, of which Mr Ablakwa was a member.

It urged Ghanaians to disregard Mr Ablakwa allegations, describing them as politically motivated.

Speaking on JoyFM’s Super Morning Show, the North Tongu MP said, “The Minister’s statement was deliberately selective and skewed to achieve a partisan aim of equalization and even that he has fallen on his own sword.”

“Nobody can accuse me of raising new matters after the minister’s statement. If you are going to respond to state capture, respond to all of them. The tall list of lands and state capture cases I have put out after his statement are well known. They are not new matters,” he said.

According to him, the demolition of the Bulgarian Embassy, which he had previously brought to light, is not a recent development.

According to him, after his revelation, the government set up a sole enquirer to investigate the issue, and this Commission released a damning report.

“When you listen to the minister this morning, he deliberately hides the fact that the person who benefited from this demolition, who took over the land and was hurriedly constructing, as we speak, because of my intervention, that building is now at lintel level. He was putting up an apartment. He is an appointee of President Akufo-Addo.”

“Why is the minster running away from that? Why is the minister pretending that agents and officials of this government are not engaged in state capture?”

According to Mr Ablakwa, because of the demolition of the Bulgarian Embassy, Ghana has been saddled with a 5.3 million Ghana cedis financial loss.

• Read also: Bulgarian government to be compensated GH₵5.3m over Embassy demolition – Ablakwa reveals

According to Mr Ablakwa, the compensation figure was determined last year by the Land Valuation Division of the Lands Commission.

However, he, noted that this amount is likely to increase significantly due to the depreciation of the Ghanaian cedi.