President John Dramani Mahama has disclosed plans to introduce a new bill in Parliament aimed at regulating how public property is sold, leased or transferred, in a bid to strengthen transparency and protect the national interest.
The proposed legislation, to be known as the Divestiture of Public Property Bill, will require parliamentary approval before any government land or state asset can be sold, transferred, mortgaged or privatised. According to the President, the move is designed to stop the disposal of public property without proper public oversight.
Speaking during an engagement with Ghanaians living in Lusaka, Zambia, on Wednesday, February 3, 2026, President Mahama said Parliament must have the final say in all major public property transactions.
“If you want to sell public property, especially land, you must first get approval from Parliament,” he said. “No public land transaction should go through the Lands Commission unless it has been approved by the representatives of the people.”
The President expressed concern over what he described as the growing trend of governments selling or mortgaging state assets without adequate accountability. He stressed that public property belongs to the people and should not be disposed of at the discretion of any single administration.
He also touched on developments at the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR), revealing that the refinery is operational once again. President Mahama said that under the previous administration, there were plans to hand over TOR to a private company for 15 years, a move he questioned due to the absence of broader public scrutiny.
“One government cannot come into office and mortgage public assets without consulting the people’s representatives,” he stated.
President Mahama explained that once the bill is passed into law, any attempt to auction public land, sell government property or divest a state-owned enterprise would be subjected to parliamentary review and approval.
“If Parliament believes the deal is fair, it will approve it. If not, it will be rejected and without approval, it cannot proceed,” he said.
He added that he has instructed the Attorney-General to begin drafting the bill to ensure it is presented to Parliament as soon as possible.
