Despite the passage of the Vigilantism and Related Offenses Act, 2019, Act 999, government is said to have entered into a contract with a land guard to help reclaim encroached lands.
The Act criminalises activities of landguards and vigilante groups.
Clause 7(5) of the Act says: “A person shall not directly or indirectly, engage a land guard to protect or guard the property of that person or any other person. 7(6) says; a person who contravenes subsection (5) commits an offense and is liable on conviction to a term of imprisonment not less than 10yrs and not more than 15yrs.
But the Chief Director of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources (MLNR), Prof Patrick Agbesinyale, at a Parliamentary Committee meeting on Monday, July 10 revealed before the committee that the government uses landguards to avoid backlash.
According to him, the government then apportions some of the reclaimed lands to the land guard as compensation for his work.
“I think the idea was that anytime the government apparatus; the police, military among others are seen going out there to claim lands, you know the hullabaloo and backlash the government receives.
“So, what they do is that you would set up somebody like this and government would literally be hiding behind it so he can reclaim government lands.”
He recalled in one instance where “during the claiming process, three people lost their lives”.
“There were gunshots; exchange of fire, and three people lost their lives there. Except that Gyato has a section of the media on site who would cover always – he is a whole set-up.”
The Chief Director also claimed that even the Ghana Armed Forces and the Police procure the services of this same private land guard to protect their lands.
He averred that the contractorhas a special set-up of media men, National Security officials, members of the judiciary and others.