Armed Forces & Police Deny Contracting Services Of Landguards

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and Ghana Police Service have vehemently denied media publications alleging that they engage land guards in their operations.

In separate statements, the institutions assured the public that they adhere to legal processes in dealing with land encroachments and criminal activities.

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in a press release issued yesterday July 17, 2023, also denied the allegation attributed to Member of Parliament for Tamale North, Alhassan Suyuhini who claimed that the Chief Director of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Prof Patrick Agbyesinyale had told the Parliament select committee on Lands and Forestry that the ministry as well as the security agencies engaged landguards to protect their lands due to capacity challeges.

The ministry clarified in the statement that the government does not contract the services of land guards instead, the the Lands Commission had engaged Aynok Holding Limited, a registered limited liability company, since 2012 to assist in reclaiming encroached government lands.

The Ghana Armed Forces, in its statement expressed dismay at the news story alleging their use of land guards to reclaim encroached lands.

The GAF categorically denied these claims, asserting that relying on land guards would be an illegal activity and against their principles describing the allegations as unsubstantiated.

The GAF urged the media and the public to verify such claims with their Department of Public Relations before publishing them, emphasizing their commitment to protecting the country’s borders.

Similarly, the Ghana Police Service refuted the claims of using land guards to reclaim and protect lands. 

The administration stressed that the allegations were false and unfounded, urging the public to disregard them. The police assured the public that they had not engaged the services of land guards but, in fact, have intensified their operations against land guards in affected communities. 

They reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the rule of law, ensuring public safety, and bringing perpetrators of illegal activities to justice.