Charles Owusu's name pops up in Last Will and Testament of Sir John
Document in circulation is mischief, Ministry of Lands statement
The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has debunked claims accompanying a document that has emerged online, purporting to be from the Lands Commission, and alleged to be the evidence that the late Sir John bought lands from the Achimota Forest area.
The said document showed that a land had been acquired by Charles Owusu, a former Operations Manager at the Forestry Commission, and the man named as a joint owner of the piece of land acquired by the late CEO.
With his photograph attached to it and official stamps and reference numbers from the Lands Commission to show authentication to the document, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has however said it is a misleading document.
In a statement, the ministry said the said land for which this document was prepared, is rather for a 0.22 of an acre land at Adenta.
“The Ministry wishes to inform the general public that the said document does not relate to the Achimota Forest. The said assertion/allegation is false.
“The said lease in circulation, dated 15th April 2021 and stamped as LVDGAST198264852021, is a subject matter of a 0.22 of an acre land or one (1) residential plot at Adenta. The said plot is less than half of an acre,” the statement read in part.
The ministry has therefore called on the general public to disregard the document in circulation as it is a false representation of the current situation.
“The first recital as captured in paragraph 1 of the lease establishes the Root of Title of the area in question and does not release 614.629 acres as is being alleged. This is the source of the misconception and or mischief as the case may be.
“The Ministry calls on the general public to disregard these allegations as they are palpably false,” it added.
The statement concluded with a reassurance to the public that the government is committed to the management of all lands owned by the state.
Background
There were news reports suggesting that the Government had 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 E.I., 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.
But, Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister, Lands and Natural Resources, dismissing these accusations at a press conference on Tuesday, said the Executive Instrument, E.I. 144, pertained to 361 acres of peripherals of the Achimota forest.
He explained further that the government is returning 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.
Samuel Abu Jinapor is the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources