The Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa has released a sequel to his recent exposé tagged the ‘Heaven Scandal’ in which he alleged a ploy by the government and the Ghana Airport Company Limited (GACL) to sell off prime lands around the Kotoka International Airport at a giveaway price.
In the initial publication dated October 2, 2023, Mr Ablakwa revealed that the President and the Minister for Finance had granted approval for the transaction led by GACL, on the blindside of parliament and thus described the deal as shady.
In his sequel published on Wednesday, October 4, 2023, Mr Ablakwa made further revelations and allegations about the deal involving a private company known as Heaven Builders Limited.
Faces behind Heaven Builders Limited
According to the North Tongu MP, Heaven Builders Limited according to its incorporation documents and insider sources is being fronted by individuals integral to the “infamous” Frontiers Airport COVID-19 testing company.
“…deep throat unimpeachable sources within the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia administration have revealed to me that the same ‘lootocratic’ brigands who were behind the infamous Frontiers COVID-19 Airport testing heist are the same promoters of this unconscionable Airport land grab.
“The unholy Frontiers-Heaven Builders connection cannot be dismissed as mere conspiracy theory when a careful study of the incorporation documents of both companies reveal that both companies have the same witness in the person of Edward Charles Appiah with the same address. (Frontiers incorporation document is duly attached).
“I shall return to other modus operandi of this same Ghana/Nigeria “lootocratic” picaroons in later publications,” he alleged.
Capital of GH₵5,000 and one employee but US$248.56million
According to Okudzeto Ablakwa, Heaven Builders which will likely walk away with some US$248.56million if their proposal to acquire some 62.14 acres of the prime land is approved, was acquired and taken over by its current managers on April 17, 2018.
The company according to the MP was incorporated with a stated capital of GH₵5,000 (five thousand Ghana Cedis) and an envisaged employee strength of one.
“Strangely, the stated capital for Heaven Builders Limited which has been made an offer and allocation of prime Airport lands valued in excess of US$150million is a paltry GHS5,000.00 (Five Thousand Ghana Cedis).
“From the incorporation documents, Heaven Builders Limited indicates that it envisages to have only one (1) employee.
“With one employee, a stated capital of a measly GHS5,000 and absolutely no track record — President Akufo-Addo, Vice President Bawumia, Finance Minister Ken Ofori Atta and their collaborators at the Ghana Airports Company Limited (GACL) believe Heaven Builders have the best capacity to be Anchor Developers and new owners of 62 acres of prime Airport land,” the MP noted.
Specific location of land in question
In his earlier publication, Mr Ablakwa revealed that the proposed agreement by the GACL means Heaven Builders will become owners “of 38.14 acres of prime airport land in the immediate environs of the Kotoka International Airport under the Airport City Phase 2 Project if they agree to carry out some dubious infrastructure such as roads and drains at a so-called cost of US$85,021,340.00.”
He adds that the company has since written back to GACL with a counter proposal asking for the land size to be expanded to 62.14 acres under the same terms.
In the subsequent publication, the MP emphasises the primeness of the land in question giving its specific location to be housing several prominent businesses.
“For the avoidance of doubt, and for better appreciation, the 93-acre prime land in issue is bounded on the west by the Airport By-pass road, on the south by the Airport road, on the north by a rail line, and east by the terminals 1 and 2 tarmac.
“Some prominent businesses and celebrated brands in the immediate vicinity of the giveaway prime land to Heaven Builders include Marriott Hotel, Holiday Inn, Accra Mall, Marina Mall, Head Offices of Stanbic, Vodafone and Nestle,” he stated.
Independent surveyors pass damning verdict on proposed agreement
Mr Ablakwa has further alleged that two survey firms, Brightwater Property Investment Limited and the Ghana Institution of Surveyors have both disagreed with the terms of the counteroffer following independent assessment.
“I can also confirm today that two reputable independent professional entities have delivered reasoned professional assessments of the Heaven Builders deal to the GACL. They have both vehemently disagreed with the counteroffer of Heaven Builders wherein they demand 62 acres.
“The two independent professional entities are Brightwater Property Investment Limited and the renowned Ghana Institution of Surveyors,” he stated.
According to the MP, both independent assessments described the valuation of the land as terribly low.
In the case of the Ghana Institute of Surveyors, a 1.7 acre of the land in question was sold for an excess of US$6.3million as far back as 2019 although whereas Heaven Builders pegged the current value of an acre of the land at US$1.3million on average.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
