Engineer and policy analyst Kosi Dedey has called for the prosecution of government officials involved in the sale of protected Ramsar lands, following a wave of demolitions in parts of Accra.
His comments come in response to petitions sent to President John Dramani Mahama by affected residents, who claim they legally acquired land in areas including Communities 5, 6, 10, 11, and 12 — all marked for demolition.
The demolitions are part of ongoing efforts to address growing concerns over encroachment on the Ramsar site, a critical ecological buffer and vital habitat for diverse wildlife.
Mr. Dedey criticised the current approach of targeting only property owners while allowing complicit officials and developers to go unpunished.
“Our district assemblies need to sit up, and if there are any persons who are officially implicated, they need to be dealt with. That is how we ensure systems work,” he said.
The petitioners allege that their properties were acquired in good faith, backed by documents provided by the Forestry Commission, which reportedly deemed the land safe for development.
However, the state has since moved to demolish structures on the Ramsar site, citing environmental violations and unlawful encroachment.
Mr. Dedey stressed the need for a full investigation into the role of Forestry Commission officials and other government actors who may have facilitated the sale of protected lands.
“Who are the Forestry Commission officials involved in this? When we simply go and demolish buildings without holding persons who may have encouraged people to build there responsible, I do not think we are doing good to ourselves,” he stated.
He added that unless the individuals who authorised, sold, or facilitated the sale of the lands are prosecuted, such problems will continue to recur.
“Beyond demolishing the buildings, we have to go after anyone who has signed off on any of those documents. The developers who reportedly acquired the land and sold it must also be held accountable,” Mr. Dedey insisted.
He concluded that meaningful deterrence will only come when both public officials and private developers are held liable for their actions, not just the end users who invest in such lands.
