Housing Ministry Chief Director faces EOCO investigations over state land sale

Rev. Stephen Yaw Osei, Chief Director of the Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, is under Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) investigation for alleged fraudulent sale of state land.

The petition, filed by Around The Clock Construction Limited, accuses him of illegally selling the UNDP Flats land at Cantonments, earmarked for redevelopment in 2016, to five different companies while the original contract remained valid.

The firm alleges millions of dollars were siphoned through these transactions.

According to the petition, the company was originally awarded the redevelopment contract in 2016 but was forcefully ejected from the site after the NPP’s electoral victory, allegedly by the party’s vigilante group, Invisible Forces.

It claims Rev. Osei subsequently reallocated portions of the land through secret deals.

The petition, dated August 15 and addressed to EOCO boss Raymond Archer, names the firms involved as Joberg Construction, Amantra Limited, Lysaro Group, Unique Shalom Properties Ghana Limited, and a Chinese company linked to Zhang You and Jackie Chan.

One of the most controversial transactions involves Amantra Limited, owned by a businessman identified only as Berchie.

The company reportedly acquired 0.53 acres of the land, resold it to its sister firm Unique Shalom, attempted to transfer it to the Chinese company, and ultimately sold it to Lysaro Group for US$1.2 million.

“This is how the Chief Director dubiously sells state lands to hide the trail,” the petition alleged. “When questioned, he denied involvement, but later admitted our company was the rightful contractor, before bizarrely claiming the contract was for ‘renovation,’ not redevelopment.”

Around The Clock has dismissed his explanation as a “complete falsehood” and challenged him to provide evidence.

“The Chief Director had no authority to enter into parallel agreements. His actions are clearly motivated by greed and personal gain,” it stated.

The petition also accuses Rev. Osei of falsifying his personal records by allegedly claiming to be 55 years old instead of 62 in order to extend his tenure.

EOCO has yet to issue a formal comment as investigations continue.