The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has given developers whose works are encroaching on the National Orthopedic Centre Site and Pantang Hospital lands to with immediate effect remove all illegal structures.
The directive was contained in a press release sighted by Citi News and signed by the Chief Director for the Ministry, Prof. Patrick Agbesinyale.
The Pantang Hospital has been in the news after its health workers embarked on strike following the encroachment of the hospital’s lands.
“For the avoidance of doubt, individuals or groups of persons should with immediate effect note that the stated land is government land acquired for the purposes of Mental Hospital and National Orthopaedic Center, and that any encroachment or trespass on such lands shall not be tolerated and or permitted.”
“Such individuals or groups of persons are hereby asked to stop work on the said lands immediately and with all sense of urgency required and remove all the illegal structures within 21 days from the date of this notice,” portions of the statement read.
The Ministry said failure by encroachers to comply with the directive will compel it to initiate action against persons involved in accordance with section 236 of the lands Act, 2020 (Act 1036).
It also advised persons who have encroached on public lands to desist from such practice and advise themselves before the law catches up with them.
The Lands Ministry also reminded the public of Article 257(1) of the Constitution of the Republic which states that “All public lands in Ghana shall be vested in the President on behalf of, and in trust for, the people of Ghana. The Lands Commission has therefore been mandated to manage all such public lands.”
Already, the National Labour Commission, (NLC) has ordered the Ministry of Health to ensure the completion of a fence wall around the Pantang Hospital within two months beginning Thursday, July 8, 2021.
The NLC’s order came on the back of an industrial action embarked upon by the staff of the facility.
The staff went on strike on Monday, June 28, 2021, to protest the encroachment of the hospital’s lands and attacks on them by unknown assailants.
They insisted that they would not return to work until the hospital is 80% fenced, but have since resumed work following a crunch meeting with the government on ways to resolve security and other concerns raised by the workers.
Find below the full statement
DESIST FROM ENCROACHING ON MENTAL HOSPITAL AND NATIONAL ORTHOPEDIC CENTRE LAND – LANDS MINISTRY
The attention of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has been drawn to the fact that there are ongoing encroachments on the National Orthopedic Centre Site at Pantang with Similar encroachment on the Regional Mental Hospital site, also at Pantang in the Greater Accra Region. For the avoidance of doubt, individuals or groups of persons should with immediate effect note that the stated land is government land acquired for the purposes of Mental Hospital and National Orthopedic Center and that any encroachment or trespass on such lands shall not be tolerated and or permitted.
Such individuals or groups of persons are hereby asked to stop work on the said lands immediately and with all sense of urgency required and remove all the illegal structures within 21 days from the date of this notice/ release.
Failure to comply with this directive will compel the government through the Lands Commission to initiated action against you in accordance with section 236 of the lands Act, 2020 (Act 1036). The Ministry also seizes this opportunity to advise all and sundry who have encroached on public lands to desist from such practice and advise themselves before the law catches up with them.
The public is also reminded that article 257(1) of the Constitution of the Republic states that “All public lands in Ghana shall be vested in the President on behalf of, and in trust for, the people of Ghana. The Lands Commission has therefore been mandated to manage all such public lands.
