Achimota Forest: Sissala West MP To Haul Lands Minister For Answers

Member of Parliament for Sissala West Constituency and a member of the Lands and Forestry Committee in Parliament, Mohammed Adams Sukpara has said he will file an urgent question to have the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, hauled to give answers to questions surrounding the Achimota forest.

The MP is seeking answers as to how the late and former Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, known as Sir John got to own lands in the Achimota forest reserve and go to the extent of apportioning them to his relatives in his will.

“I will be filing urgent questions as a member of the Lands and Forestry Committee demanding how the former Forestry Commissioner owned portions of the Achimota forest prior to its declassification and reclassification”.

He added, “I hope the Lands Minister has the answer”.

Mohammed Adams is awed by the fact that Samuel Abu Jinapor is abreast with a detailed account of the history of the Achimota forest reserve but claims to be unaware that the former Forestry Commission CEO owned lands in the forest reserve where his office used to be.

“Sir John died in 2020, yet the minister who got into office in 2021 knows the state of the Achimota forest from as far back as 1920 but doesn’t know issues relating to ownership in 2020? How preposterous”, he snapped.

Background

Over the weekend the will alleged to be that of the late Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission and a former general secretary of the governing New Patriotic Party, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, better known as Sir John, circulated on social media.

The will clearly apportioned three different lands at the Achimota forest, the lung of Accra, registered in names of companies, to his nephews.

“I give my land also situate at the Achimota Forest in the name of Fasoh Limited and measuring 0.987 acres to my nephews Michael Owusu, Yaw Boadu and Kwabena Amoateng forever.

“I jointly own a piece of land at Achimota Forest with Charles Owusu. Upon my demise, my portion of land should be given to Ruth Korkor Odonkor.

“I give my portion of land that I jointly own at the Achimota Forest in the name of DML Limited to Elizabeth Asare Boateng who at the time of making this will is domiciled in the USA forever”, parts of the will said.

The will was made on 20th May, 2020 less than two months to his death.

The circulation of the will came barely a week after the Minister for land and Natural resources, held a press conference to dispute allegations that the Achimota forest reserve was being sold out.

The minister assured that the government was rather declassifying parts of the Achimota forest and returning them to the Owoo family- the ones described by the government as the rightful owners of the land.

In response to this new brouhaha, the Ministry of Lands says it has “requested for all documents relating to the lands in question, as part of an initial inquiry to ascertain the veracity of the claims”.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini