President John Mahama’s ORAL won’t get anywhere – John Boadu
John Boadu, the former General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), made provocative statements regarding the use of government land by prominent Ghanaian political figures. Boadu specifically mentioned the office of former President John Mahama, which is located in the prime area of Cantonments in Accra, and raised questions about the legality and transparency of its construction. Boadu also referenced other political figures such as Muntaka Mubarak and Haruna Iddrisu, who, according to him, own houses on government land.
At the heart of Boadu’s comments was a challenge to the credibility of the government’s efforts to recover illicitly acquired property, particularly through the initiative known as Operations Recover All Loots (ORAL). The former NPP General Secretary suggested that ORAL, as a governmental attempt to reclaim stolen or misappropriated resources, would “get nowhere” as long as such figures continued to be allowed to benefit from state resources.
Boadu specifically pointed to the office of former President John Mahama, which is situated in the affluent area of Cantonments. He questioned whether Mahama had “brought the land from Borle Banboi to build on,” a rhetorical query that implies potential irregularities or questionable practices surrounding the acquisition of the land for this office. Cantonments is home to numerous high-ranking officials, and land in the area is often considered government property or public land, leading to speculation about how such land is allocated to individuals for private use.
Boadu’s statement implies that Mahama’s office could have been built on land that should have been reserved for public use, but instead, was used for private purposes. He seems to be suggesting that the process through which this land was obtained might have been opaque, if not outright corrupt. However, no formal evidence or legal challenges have been brought against Mahama regarding the acquisition of this land, and it is important to note that former presidents in Ghana are often afforded certain allowances, including access to office space and resources after leaving office.
Boadu also brought up the names of other political figures, such as Muntaka Mubarak and Haruna Iddrisu, both of whom he claims own houses on government land. Mubarak, a member of parliament for Asawase, and Iddrisu, a former minority leader, are both significant political figures in Ghana. Boadu’s assertion about them owning property on government land raises broader questions about how such land is allocated and whether the system is being manipulated for personal gain by influential individuals.
While both Mubarak and Iddrisu have not faced any formal legal action related to these claims, Boadu’s allegations tap into the ongoing concerns about fairness and accountability in the management of government land. Critics argue that if politicians can acquire property on such lands without proper oversight, it creates a situation where the public is deprived of valuable resources that should be used for development or social good.
The broader political context of Boadu’s statements seems to center around the government’s Operations Recover All Loots (ORAL) initiative, which aims to identify and retrieve assets or funds illegally acquired by public figures. Boadu’s comments suggest that ORAL is unlikely to succeed unless those in power take stronger actions to address the allocation of government lands and ensure that public figures are held accountable for the misuse of state resources.
Boadu’s skepticism about ORAL reflects the sense that political figures—regardless of party affiliation—are often able to leverage their positions for personal gain. If high-ranking officials and politicians are able to acquire government land or other state resources with little scrutiny, the entire initiative to recover looted assets may appear ineffective or even hypocritical.
Moreover, Boadu’s statement could also be seen as a criticism of the current administration’s stance on recovering looted assets. As political figures from both major parties have been accused of benefiting from public resources in questionable ways, the call for greater transparency and accountability in land allocation may be an effort to push the government to not just focus on recovering “loot” from political opponents, but also to enforce better controls within their own ranks.
In Ghana, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is responsible for overseeing land administration, but there are concerns about the effectiveness of this oversight. The failure to properly regulate the use of public land by politicians can result in the erosion of public trust and foster a culture of impunity.
Ethically, when politicians use public land for private purposes, it sends a message that those with power can bypass the rules and benefit at the expense of the public. This undermines the integrity of the political system and damages the credibility of government initiatives like ORAL, which aim to recover misappropriated assets.
