Asaase Broadcasting Company has rejected the recent unfounded accusations made by Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Member of Parliament for North Tongu on claims that the property at Number 7, 5th Circular Road, Cantonments, is unlawfully acquired state property is false and misleading.
Here are the facts that disprove these allegations:
- Initial Acquisition: The property was acquired by Mr. Fosuaba Mensah Banahene under a lease dated 18th July 2006. The property was bought as bare land and subsequently developed by Mr. Banahene.
- Subsequent Transactions: It was rented to Eurojet and later assigned to Lilly Homes Limited per a deed dated 4th March 2020 under a private transaction. Asaase Radio occupies the building under a tenancy agreement with Lilly Homes Limited.
- Legal Standing: Lilly Homes Limited obtained the property through a legitimate assignment of interest from Mr. Banahene with the Lands Commission’s consent dated 15th July 2020 and has held the property lawfully and without any legal encumbrance.
- Occupancy, Previous and Current:
The record on the property currently occupied by Asaase does not support Mr. Ablakwa’s assertion, which specifically claimed that the building was occupied by Justice Kordieh. The building currently occupied by Asaase has at no point been the residence of a judge or any public official for that matter.
According to our checks, the only state bungalow that still exists after the refilling and is situated next door to the Asaase building was occupied by a female senior civil servant and not a judge in 2006.
That bungalow is currently occupied by Prof. Ahmed Nuru Zakariah, the current Chief Executive of the National Ambulance Service under the Ministry of Health.
However, the property on the other side of the Asaase building, according to our checks, had a state building on it that was previously occupied by Rev. Canon Ing. William Hutton-Mensah, who was dismissed as Managing Director of ECG by President John Mahama in November 2014.
That land was subsequently divided and sold under President John Mahama to private persons, and the state bungalow on it was completely pulled down.
We appreciate the continued support of our stakeholders and the public as we address this matter.
Public figures like Mr. Ablakwa must exercise caution and thoroughly verify information before subjecting law-abiding persons and entities, such as Asaase Radio, to unjustifiable opprobrium.
It appears that the target of Mr. Ablakwa’s attack is the Chairman of Asaase Radio, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko, over a property that was leased to a third party who has no relationship with Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko over 18 years ago.
We entreat Mr. Ablakwa to desist from making further unmeritorious defamatory claims against Asaase Radio. His eagerness to rush such unverified claims undermines the principles of truth and integrity.
Our commitment to transparency remains steadfast, and we will always protect our reputation against such irresponsible actions. Thank you for your attention to this important issue.
