Ablakwa proposes private member’s bill to protect public property

Member of Parliament (MP) for North Tongu Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa is proposing a private member’s bill to stop politicians and politically-exposed, including persons as well as high-ranking public officials, military officers and members of the judiciary, from purchasing assets of the state.

The bill, the Public Assets Protection Bill 2024, which is currently in its draft stage, prescribes punishment and a forfeiture of any state assets purchased by persons proscribed from doing so.

“We are calling it the Public Assets Protection Bill 2024. Ultimately, what we we want to do is prohibit all politicians and politically-exposed persons and other top-ranking public servants from purchasing state assets,” Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said on Multimedia’s current affairs show, Newsfile, today, Saturday July 20, 2024.

Mr Ablakwa said that the focus on persons purchasing will achieve the aim of stopping persons who will offer to sell these assets even though the bill is open to improvements.

“We take the view that if we prevent the politicians and politically-exposed persons from purchasing these state assets we’ll virtually achieve the same end[ of stopping its sale],” he explained.

He is optimistic that 80% of the sale and purchase of state lands will end if the bill becomes law.

Mr Okudzeto Ablakwa has been at the forefront in the fight against the sale and purchase of state assets. His advocacy recently ended the planned sale of Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) hotels to Rock City, a private firm owned by Bryan Acheampong, the Minister of Agriculture.

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