The Owoo Family, the original owners of the Achimota forest have described as misleading ongoing public discourse on the state of their demands on government.

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, has assured Ghanaians that the Achimota Forest has not ‘been sold and will not be sold’.

His assurance came on the back of reports suggesting the possible reclassification of the forest for possible commercial development by government.

A statement signed by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu described the Minister’s comments as vain assurance.

But, the Owoo Family in a statement indicated there are many distortions of facts since issues of the Achimota forest resurrected again.

According to the family, they have not had any compensation paid to them for the 1927 acquisition.

“The family have had to, in the past, accept and/or acquiesce to terms to enable it move on which it strongly believes have been unfair and unjust;

“The much talked about 19th August, 2016 ceremony which has been erroneously stated in the public as an occasion when land was released to the Owoo family is false and misleading. That ceremony was a sod cutting ceremony for the development of the Achimota Forest into an Eco-Tourism park. The Owoo Family were mere invitees/guest,” the family explained.

Below is the statement from the Owoo Family

RE: ACHIMOTA FOREST AND MATTERS ARISING

We, the Owoo Family, have restrained ourselves from participating in the ongoing debate as a result of good advice and judgment.

We however reluctantly wish to set a few records straight as follows;

  1. The Owoo Family, the pre-acquisition owners, of all the land acquired in 1921 and 1927 for the Achimota School, have suffered grave historical injustice;
  2. The family have had to, in the past, accept and/or acquiesce to terms to enable it move on which it strongly believes have been unfair and unjust;
  3. The much talked about 19th August, 2016 ceremony which has been erroneously stated in the public as an occasion when land was released to the Owoo family is false and misleading. That ceremony was a sod cutting ceremony for the development of the Achimota Forest into an Eco-Tourism park. The Owoo Family were mere invitees/guest;
  4. The Owoo Family has always maintained that compensation has not been paid for the 1927 acquisition; and
  5. The acreage due the Owoo family was arrived at through a long standing negotiations which in many respects predates the current administration. This was done with the active involvement of various State technical negotiators and agencies.

The Owoo family has petitioned all governments in the fourth republican dispensation and indeed is yet to take possession of any parcel of land to date.

We commit to conducting ourselves in a manner which will not compromise the ecological integrity of the adjoining forest reserve and call on the general public to please disregard any misleading contributions to the ongoing public discussions.

END

John Kwartey Nee Owoo

Francis Kwatei Nee Owoo

Nii Kwate Owoo

George Kwatey Owoo

Frank Nii Kwartey Owoo

Nat Holly Nii Owoo

George Annan Owoo.

PRINCIPAL ELDERS

OWOO FAMILY

ACCRA

Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Isaac Dzidzoamenu

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