ORAL: Okudzeto Ablakwa advocates for legislation to protect state assets

Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, the Chairperson of the Oral Committee in Parliament, has reiterated the need for Ghana to adopt stringent measures to safeguard state assets from exploitation and privatization by politically exposed individuals.

Speaking on an Accra-based television network on Tuesday, Mr. Ablakwa revealed that he has taken steps to reintroduce a private member's bill titled the Protection of State Assets Bill.

The proposed legislation seeks to prohibit the acquisition of state resources, including lands, hotels, forests, and water bodies, by politicians and other politically exposed persons.

“This bill is about protecting Ghana's future and ensuring that state assets remain for the collective benefit of the nation. We have witnessed situations where public officers, upon their demise, have willed public properties, including forests and Ramsar sites, to their relatives. This is unacceptable and calls for urgent action,” Mr. Ablakwa stated.

He emphasized that the issue transcends partisan politics and should be viewed as a national concern.

"This is not about the NDC or NPP. It is about the future of our country. What will happen when all the lands are sold? Where will our public servants reside? Where will doctors live when we build hospitals far from their accommodations?”

The lawmaker further noted the importance of protecting public spaces to ensure that critical sectors such as health and education function efficiently.

“Doctors, for instance, should have bungalows close to hospitals to facilitate swift responses during emergencies. Yet, we are sending them to faraway places due to a lack of foresight in asset management,” he lamented.

Mr. Ablakwa urged his colleagues in Parliament and Ghanaians at large to support the bill, describing it as a pivotal step towards protecting Ghana’s resources for future generations.

The Protection of State Assets Bill represents a bold attempt to promote accountability and equity in the management of state resources, a move expected to generate significant debate within and beyond Parliament.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith