The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has assured that the parcels of lands at the Achimota Forest and the Sakumono Ramsar Site captured in the Will of the late CEO of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly called Sir John, will not be released to beneficiaries of the purported document.
A copy of the late Sir John’s Will has been widely circulated after it was released by the Fourth Estate, in which he bequeathed portions of the Achimota Forest and the Ramar site at Sakomono to some relatives.
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The development has sparked heated debate and anger among many Ghanaians with many expressing their disappointment over the fact that the former Forestry Commission head allocated to himself state lands.
Amidst the public outrage about Sir John’s supposed Will, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources says preliminary inquiries reveal that the alleged will in question is a subject of litigation/contestation in the courts.
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It however said its checks at the Lands and the Forestry Commissions show no record of ownership of Lands at the Achimota Forest or the Sakumono Ramsar Site by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie.
In a statement, the sector Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor said he has “directed the Lands and Forestry Commissions 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.”
Read the Land’s Ministry’s full statement below;
“RE: ACHIMOTA FOREST / KWADWO OWUSU AFRIYIE’S ALLEGED LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT
“The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources refers to its Press Statement dated 22nd May, 2022 in which the Ministry committed to inquire into the allegations relating to the acquisition of parcels of lands at the Achimota Forest and the Sakumono Ramsar Site by the late former Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O) of the Forestry Commission, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John).
“Preliminary inquiries reveal that the alleged Will in question is a subject matter of litigation/contestation in the courts.
“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.
“That said, given the totality of the circumstances of the said allegations, I, as Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, have directed the Lands and Forestry Commissions 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.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the bequeathing of the aforesaid lands, if established, will not pass any interest/title to the named beneficiaries in the alleged Will. These lands, the subject matter of the alleged Will, shall remain Public Lands, whether or not it falls within the de-gazetted lands pursuant to E.I 144.
“Government will act on any improper acquisition of any Public Lands, regardless of how it was procured, whether now or in the past, and the Achimota Forest Lands will not be an exception.”
Sir John also disclosed in the will that he also owned land at the protected Ramsar site at Sakumono near Tema.
The revelations in his will come at a time the government is giving portions of the Achimota Forest land supposedly to its original owners.
