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Tag: Right to Information Commission

  • OccupyGhana yet to receive data on reclaimed state land from Lands Commission

    OccupyGhana yet to receive data on reclaimed state land from Lands Commission

    A pressure organization, OccupyGhana, has written to the Lands Commission requesting information on abandoned state lands.

    After OccupyGhana brought the Lands Commission before the Right to Information Commission (RIC) after its application to obtain information on returned state lands was denied, the RIC ordered the Lands Commission to provide OccupyGhana with information on “returned” State lands.

    But OccupyGhana in a statement said, the Lands Commission is yet to comply with the directives of the RIC.

    It has thus reminded the Lands Commission to provide the information in accordance with the RIC’s orders.

    “Today marks eight days since the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) delivered the ruling that ordered you to release the information to us within 14 days. In our 2 March 2023 letter, we also brought the ruling to your attention, and inquired when we may receive the information. We have not heard from you on these requests. We will send you daily reminders until you deliver the information to us”, OccupyGhana stressed in its statement.

    The RIC also slapped an ‘administrative fine’ of GH¢100,000 on the Lands Commission for earlier denying OccupyGhana the request.

    OccupyGhana rejected the move by the Lands Commission to return Achimota Forest lands to the alleged owners, questioning its legality and constitutionality.

    The RIC in its ruling on March 1, 2023, amongst others ordered the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission to provide information on all public lands which government’s ownership has been relinquished but this yet to be done.

    “And if the 14 days expire without you giving us the information, we will take all steps available to us under the law to ensure that you comply with the RTIC’s orders”, Occupy Ghana continued.

    Find full statement below

    Our Ref: OG/2023/013

    9 March 2023
    The Ag Executive Secretary
    Lands Commission
    Accra

    Attention: James E K Dadson

    Dear Sir:

    RE: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING RELEASED OR RELINQUISHED LANDS

    This is to follow up on our letter to you dated 2 March 2023 (our ref: OG/2023/011) on the above matter.

    Today marks eight days since the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) delivered the ruling that ordered you to release the information to us within 14 days. In our 2 March 2023 letter, we also brought the ruling to your attention, and inquired when we may receive the information. We asked that if the information was in hardcopy, you let us know the total cost of it so that we may pay for and collect it. We also asked that if it is in softcopy, you let us know when, and to whom, we may submit a hard drive on which you will install the information.

    We have not heard from you on these requests. We will send you daily reminders until you deliver the information to us. And if the 14 days expire without you giving us the information, we will take all steps available to us under the law to ensure that you comply with the RTIC’s orders.

    Yours in the service of God and Country

    OccupyGhana

    cc. The Chairman
    Lands Commission
    Accra

    The Executive Secretary
    Right to Information Commission
    Accra

  • OccupyGhana to provide regular reminders for Lands Commission’s information request

    OccupyGhana to provide regular reminders for Lands Commission’s information request

    OccupyGhana, a pressure organization, has promised to remind the Lands Commission about their request for information about released or abandoned lands in Ghana every day.

    According to the group, it has been eight days since the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) issued a judgement directing the Lands Commission to provide the requested material to them within 14 days. Today is March 9, 2023.

    In a statement released today, the group promised to “send you daily reminders until you deliver the information to us,” and further stated that “if the 14 days pass without you giving us the information, we will take all steps available to us under the law to ensure that you comply with the RTIC’s orders.”

    OccupyGhana’s statement

    Dear Sir:

     RE: REQUEST FOR INFORMATION CONCERNING RELEASED OR RELINQUISHED LANDS

    This is to follow up on our letter to you dated 2 March 2023 (our ref: OG/2023/011) on the above matter.

    Today marks eight days since the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) delivered the ruling that ordered you to release the information to us within 14 days. In our 2 March 2023 letter, we also brought the ruling to your attention, and inquired when we may receive the information. We asked that if the information was in hardcopy, you let us know the total cost of it so that we may pay for and collect it. We also asked that if it is in softcopy, you let us know when, and to whom, we may submit a hard drive on which you will install the information.

    We have not heard from you on these requests. We will send you daily reminders until you deliver the information to us. And if the 14 days expire without you giving us the information, we will take all steps available to us under the law to ensure that you comply with the RTIC’s orders.

    Yours in the service of God and Country
    OccupyGhana

  • RTI slaps ¢100k fine against Land Commission for withholding ‘returned’ state lands information

    RTI slaps ¢100k fine against Land Commission for withholding ‘returned’ state lands information

    The Lands Commission has to pay an administrative fine to a tune of GH¢100,000 to the Right to Information Commission (RIC) for failing to release information on returned state lands to pressure group, OccupyGhana.

    Also, the RIC has instructed the Lands Commission to provide the said details to the pressure group.

    The Executive Secretary is to provide among other things; a list of all public lands over which government’s ownership or control has been relinquished, and the names of the person to whom those lands have been released.

    “The respective sizes and locations (suburbs, towns/cities and regions) of all such lands; The conditions of release, whether free, sale, lease or licence; If the land has been leased, the amount of rent paid or payable; and any other amounts paid or received by government, if any, for each such transaction”.

    These pieces of information are to be provided not later than 14 days after receipt of the decision.

    The pressure group sought after this information after reports that the government has retrieved lands that were encorached by some individuals.

    OccupyGhana in its statement explained that they were compelled to seek RIC’s intervention in September last year after the Lands Commission told them that they would do so upon advise from the Attorney-General.

    “For a while, we tolerated the risible excuses, starting with the 7 June 2022 demand for the details of ‘any personality’ within our organisation, to the 21 June 2022 blame of its own ‘manual’ systems.

    “But when on 2 September, the Lands Commission finally claimed that it was waiting for the Attorney-General’s advice on whether the consent of the persons to whom the State lands had allegedly been transferred was required to provide the information, we were compelled to seek the RIC’s intervention,” OccupyGhana added in its statement.

    Source: The Independent Ghana

  • OccupyGhana petitions RTI Commission over public lands

    OccupyGhana, a pressure group, has petitioned the Right to Information (RTI) Commission to order the Lands Commission to provide details on all public lands that the Commission had allegedly returned to owners.

    The petition dated September 20, 2022 and addressed to the Executive Secretary of the Commission, said the action had been necessitated due to the Lands Commission’s “conceivable trick to frustrate” access to the documents.

    The Group has, therefore, asked the RTI Commission to make the Lands Commission provide it (the Group) with a list of all public lands over, which Government’s ownership or control had been relinquished and the names of the persons to whom those lands had been released.

    They are also asking that the respective sizes and locations (suburbs, towns/cities, and regions) of all such lands, and the conditions of release, whether free, sale, lease or license be provided.

    OccupyGhana is also asking that the Lands Commission be made to tell the Group the amount of rent paid or payable, and any other amounts paid to or received by Government, if any, for the release of a land.

    According to the Group, the Lands Commission had purportedly returned some public lands to the original owners in compliance with article 20(5) and (6) of the Constitution.

    However, the Group said such action by the Commission was contrary to the Supreme Court’s ruling that those provisions did not apply to lands acquired before the Constitution came into force.

    “Checks with both the Lands Ministry and Lands Commission have confirmed that contrary to article 258(2), there is no government policy that authorises these alleged returns of lands to purported original owners,” the pressure group noted.

    The Group said it had between June 2 and September 15, 2022, engaged with the Commission to be given the needed information in line with the right to information and to be accounted to, as Ghanaians per constitutional provisions.

    It said reasons for, which the information had not been given included a demand to name an individual with whom the Commission would deal with, request for time to compile the information from the regions, and the calling for a meeting to discuss the Group’s concerns.

    According to OccupyGhana, the Commission also said it needed the advice of the Attorney-General on the request in the light of the provisions of the Data Protection Act and the Right to Information Act.

    “At this stage, we are concerned that unless and until compelled by the Right to Information Commission to do so, the Lands Commission will keep coming up with one unsustainable excuse after another,” the Group said, hence, the petition.

    Source: GNA