Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Samuel Abu Jinapor, has said that the late Chief Executive Officer of the Forestry Commission Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie popularly known as Sir John, Will that had Achimota Forest Lands mentioned in it will not be given to the beneficiaries.
According to him in a statement released on May 24, 2022, he has directed the Lands and Forestry Commission to deem any ownership of lands, both in the Achimota Forest and the Sakumono Ramsar Site by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie as void.
“I, as Minister for Lands & Natural Resources, have directed the Lands and Forestry Commission to deem any ownership of lands, both in the Achimota Forest and the Sakumono Ramsar Site by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie as void and are to take the appropriate actions accordingly”, he said.
According to him, the lands will continue to be the state’s property although the Will is being contested in court.
In addition, the Minister said details of the land acquisition can also not be found at the Lands Commissions.
“Further checks at the Lands and the Forestry Commissions, the repositories of the records of the lands in question, show no record of ownership of Lands at, the Achimota Forest or the Sakumono Ramsar Site, by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie.
“The Ministry takes a very serious view of the allegations and has requested all documents relating to the lands in question, as part of an initial inquiry to ascertain the veracity of the claims. Considering that the issues that form the basis of the allegations predate the tenure of the current Minister, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, MP, it is important that he is seized with the full facts to enable him take appropriate action, if, indeed, there is any merit in the claims”, parts of the statement added.
Read full statement below
Meanwhile, the alleged Will has sparked a lot of anger among some Ghanaians.