Achimota Forest saga: We have suffered ‘grave historical injustice’ – Owoo family

The Owoo family in Accra, have expressed their displeasure about the ongoing public discourse on the alleged declassification of the Achimota Forest in Accra.

According to them, they have suffered, ‘grave historical injustice’.

In a statement by the principal elders of the family on Thursday, the family disclosed that, to date, they have not taken custody of any parcel of land in the Achimota Forest.

This, they said, is on what is due, despite their engagements with various regimes in the fourth republic.

“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.

“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 August 19, 2016 ceremony which has been erroneously stated in the public as an occasion when the land was released to the Owoo family is false and misleading,” the family said.

According to the family spokesperson, “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/guests.”

The Owoo family said it has always maintained that compensation has not been paid for the 1927 acquisition”, portions of the statement emphasised.

The family also added, “the acreage due the Owoo family was arrived at through a long-standing negotiation 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”.

The concerns by the Owoo family, were in reaction to recent discussions on the Achimota Forest, following the circulation of an eight-paged document which was widely circulated on social media.

The document purported to mean that the classification of the Achimota Forest Reserve has been lifted to pave way for a possible redevelopment for other purposes.

According to the Owoo family, it initially restrained itself from commenting on the matter; but has been compelled to set the records straight, due to the misrepresentations in the public.

Having stated their side of the story, they pledged to conduct themselves in a manner, “which will not compromise the ecological integrity of the adjoining forest reserve”.

They also called on the general public to disregard any misleading contributions to the ongoing public discussions.

On Tuesday, there were widespread rumours about the sale of the Achimota Forest.

Following the public outcry on the alleged declassification of the Achimota Forest Reserve, the sector Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor, dismissed the claims that the Forest has been sold.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Mr Jinapor wrote that the “Achimota Forest has not and will not be sold.”

Shortly after, he held a press conference to further clarify the matter. In his address, he insisted that government has no plans of selling the Forest. Adding that, plans are rather afoot to give the Forest a world-class status.

According to him, the government “intends to enrich the Achimota forest, revamp it and hopefully in the not too distant future, transform it into the likes of High Park of London and Central Park of New York, where Ghanaians can go and enjoy the beauty of nature and forest reserve as it happens in other parts of the world”.

He, therefore, urged the public to disregard any reports about the sale of the forest.

“So for the avoidance of doubt, neither President Akufo-Addo nor myself or his government intends to sell the Achimota forest or redevelop the Achimota forest as currently constituted”, he said.

source:Paa Kwesi Schandorf