Achimota Forest land: Lands Minister demands transaction information from Owoo family, others

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has requested that the Forestry and Land Commissions, as well as the Owoo Family, furnish the ministry with information on all transactions surrounding the Achimota Forest. 

The Minister wants to find out what exactly has happened since 1927 when about 1,185 acres of land were acquired by the State and later constituted as a Forest Reserve in 1930 under the name Achimota Firewood Plantation Forest Reserve.

The CEO of the Forestry Commission, Mr. John Allotey, is expected to submit all leases granted by the Forestry Commission over the land, any amendment or variations to those leases, as well as any sublease or assignment granted over any part of the land.

In a press statement dated May 26, Mr Allotey is to submit the documents within a week.

Also, in a separate letter, James Ebenezer Dadson, the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, has been asked to provide the ministry with information on “de-gazetting, leases, subleases, assignments, and other transfer or disposition of any part of the lands in question, whether made by the Forestry Commission or any other person.”

The Nii Owoo family, said to be allodial owners of the land, are expected to submit to his office all subleases and assignments granted by the Family to any person.

They are also to provide the names and addresses of all beneficiary owners of any part of the land acquired in 1927, per the statement.

The request follows the recent Achimota Forest brouhaha which involves declassification of the said land.

Lands Minister, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, in an Executive Instrument (E.I) 144 on behalf of the President stipulated that effective May 1, 2022, the land on which the Forest is located shall cease to be a forest reserve.

He noted that portions of the land will be returned to the Owoo family and government will redevelop the remaining into the likes of “High Park of London and Central Park of New York, where Ghanaians can go and enjoy the beauty of nature.”

It will be recalled that former Lands Minister, Inusah Fuseini said the Owoo family had been duly compensated by the British colonial government for the land.

According to him, an amount of £4000 pounds was given to the family 1951. Also, he indicated that under his administration, about ninety to hundred acres of the land was released to the family.

It was also reported that former late Forestry Commission CEO, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, owned some lands at the Achimota Forest but the Lands Commission has rejected claims that Sir John owned portions of the land.

Following the alleged ownership of lands by Sir John, some Ghanaians are wondering if some public officials have acquired portions of state property.

The documents to be presented to the Lands Ministry will help bring finality to the matter.

Source: The Independent Ghana