Govt denies Ablakwa's GH¢5.3m Bulgarian Embassy compensation claim

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has refuted claims made by Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu and Ranking Member on the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Ablakwa asserted that the government is obligated to pay GH¢5.3 million in compensation to the Bulgarian Embassy.

In an official statement, the Ministry clarified that no such financial obligation exists, labelling Ablakwa’s allegations as unfounded and misleading.

The Ministry stressed that there are no legal or administrative grounds supporting his claims, and reaffirmed that no compensation is owed to the Bulgarian Embassy.

The Ministry pointed out that, according to the Sole Inquirer’s recommendations, the responsibility for the compensation lies with Jojo Hagan, who ordered the demolition.

Ablakwa, known for his proactive governance stance, had earlier alleged that the government was to compensate the Bulgarian government with GH¢5,383,000 for the 2017 demolition of its embassy.

He claimed that this figure was determined in 2023 by the Land Valuation Division of the Lands Commission.

The demolition of the Bulgarian Embassy, situated at Kakramadu Road, Plot No. 10, East Cantonments in Accra, was carried out by a private developer in 2017.

The Lands Commission has since ordered the developer to halt the redevelopment project on the site, although work has continued.

On March 16, 2022, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources Benito Owusu-Bio and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Kwasi Ampratwum-Sarpong visited the disputed site to stop the developer’s ongoing work.

Ablakwa expressed concern over the situation, suggesting it could strain Ghana-Bulgaria relations.