About 14 Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, have petitioned the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to probe the degazetting and purported sale of portions of the Achimota Forest.
In their petition, the CSOs also want CHRAJ to expose any situation of conflict of interest and reveal any procedural flaw in the alleged allocation of lands in the forest
Read full articleas well as the Sakumono Ramsar site.
The CSOs include; Civic Response, A Rocha Ghana, Nature and Development Foundation, EcoCare Ghana, Viridis Environmental Consult, Kasa Initiative Ghana, Ghana Wildlife Society, Advocates for Biodiversity Conservation, Forest Watch Ghana, 350 Ghana Reducing Our Carbon, United Force for Development, Rights Advocacy Initiative Network (RAIN), Tropenbos Ghana and KCODEC.
They are of the view that, CHRAJ is in a better position to investigate the entire issue and make definite pronouncements on the propriety of different actions surrounding the controversial matter.
“Ghana’s Forest Reserves should be protected in perpetuity for the purposes for which they were gazetted. Loss of any amount of Forest Reserve or other protected areas, no matter how small, should never be allowed.
"The de-gazetting of some of the Achimota Forest sets a very bad precedent for Ghana’s other protected areas. The reversal of these transactions on the bases of conflict of interest will send a strong message to other public officers who might be tempted in future to use their position to grab state property,” the CSO said in their petition.
Background
There were news reports earlier this week suggesting that the Government has gazetted an Executive Instrument (E.I.) to approve the redesignation, sale or development of Achimota Forest.
A document from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, making reference to an Executive Instrument, stated that the Achimota Forest Reserve is to no longer be regarded as a forest reserve.
“An Executive Instrument (E.I.) 144 gazetted on behalf of President Akufo-Addo by the Lands Minister Samuel Abdulai Jinapor indicates that effective May 1, 2022, the land on which the Forest is located shall cease to be a forest reserve.
“The President’s action was in accordance with Section 19 of the Forest Act, 1927 (CAP. 157) which gives him the authority to declare that particular land is no longer required as a forest reserve,” portions of the purported E.I. read.
The gazetting notice led to allegations that forest land was being sold, but Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister, Lands and Natural Resources, dismissed the accusations at a press conference stating that the Executive Instrument, E.I. 144, pertained to 361 acres of peripherals of the Achimota forest.
He added that the government is returning it to its custodial owners, identified as the Owoo family because the land was not being used for its intended purpose, which included the extension of the Achimota School.
Days after that, a purported Last Will and Testament of the late Forestry Commission CEO, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, also known as Sir John, has become public.
Page 5 of Sir John's Last Will, available to GhanaWeb, states that the late CEO of the Forestry Commission together with one Charles Owusu, have already secured parts of the Achimota Forest lands.
Sir John per the document confirmed owning portions of Achimota Forest land and that he gives his portion to his nephews, Michael Owusu, Yaw Boadu and Kwabena Amoateng, forever.
"I give my land also situate at 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 the said land should be given to Ruth Korkor Odonkor.
"I give my portion of the 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," portions of Sir John's will read.
Achimota forest
