Minister Calls Off Briefing

FOR the second time, the Ministry of Information and National Orientation on Wenesday postponed a meeting with the press designed to explain matters arising out of government's release of 50 per cent of state acquired lands to the Gas.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, who announced the postponement,  said it was to afford the Ministry of Land and stakeholder's ample time for more consultations on the issue.

He said land matters were sensitive and it behoved on all to make productive and positive contributions towards solving the problems concerning the sector.

The Minister hinted that apart from the Accra lands, the exercise is being replicated in the nine other regions and called on the media to help stop the sensa-tionalisation which  sought  to create the impression that only lands for the Gas were being released.

“We need to get the facts behind the release of the lands and interact with the six families before putting our views in the public domain”, he added.

The Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Esther Obeng-Dappah, last Wednesday announced at a meeting with the land owners that the government had released 50 per cent of all state acquired lands to the owners.

This announcement triggered mixed reactions, from the land owners and the general public.

While some see it as a goodwill gesture from the government, others, particularly a section of Ga chiefs, think that the government should have gone the whole hog.