I have applied to buy Jake's property - Nii Lantey

Nii Lantey Vanderpuiye

Presidential aide Nii Lantey Vanderpuiye says he has put in an application to purchase the bungalow which has already been bought by the New Patriotic Party Chairman, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey.

Vanderpuyie told Joy News he is currently the occupant of the bungalow and has the first right of purchase.

A Supreme Court ruling, Wednesday declared Jake Obetsebi Lamptey as the rightful owner of the property after two members of the National Democratic Congress and who are now deputy Ministers of Information and Youth and Sports Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa and Dr. Edward Omane Boamah respectively failed to prove allegations of corruption, cronyism, and conflict of interest they leveled against Mr Lamptey in his purchase of the bungalow.

Obetsebi Lamptey described the ruling as a vindication of his rights and told Joy News he will now go ahead to redevelop the land after the landmark ruling.

But he must first deal with Nii Lantey Vanderpuiye who is currently occupying the bungalow.

Vanderpuiye said the bungalow was given to him by the Ministry of Water Resources Works and Housing and not the Supreme Court and therefore needs a formal letter of notification from the Ministry.

He said he has nothing to say about the ruling but noted “the Supreme Court did not give access to that building. It was given to me by the Ministry of Works and Housing so, as and when the Ministry writes to me, I will respond to it.”

He challenged the right of Jake Obetsebi Lamptey to purchase the land, saying, if the said land was up for re-development it needed to have reverted to the rightful owners - the Osu Stool- and not the Chairman of the NPP.

He said if Jake has the right to purchase the bungalow and has secured a court ruling in that regard, "I have also dropped an application to buy the same land because the law says that if the government is offering a property for sale the first option should be given to the occupant of that property."

"I am the occupant of that property so it will be unfair to sideline me and give it to another person."

He said he will not vacate the property until another bungalow has been provided him.