- The amount of land to be returned has been reduced from 362 acres to 262 acres
- The current administration has prioritized balancing land return with forest preservation
- Jinapor assured that stringent measures are in place to prevent unauthorized claims on the land
Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has announced that 262 acres of the Achimota Forest will be returned to its original owners, the Owoo family.
This move comes in the wake of controversy sparked by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s Executive Instrument 144, which had aimed to reclassify 362 acres of forest land for the Owoo family.
In a media briefing, Jinapor explained that the decision to return the land was originally made during President Mahama’s tenure in 2013, with cabinet approval granted on September 5 of that year.
He highlighted that the current administration is adhering to the previous government’s decisions, which had already allocated the 362 acres for return.
“Our goal was to strike a balance between returning the land and preserving the Achimota Forest’s ecological integrity,” Jinapor stated.
To address environmental concerns, the land to be returned was reduced by 100 acres through negotiations with stakeholders of the Achimota Forest.
“We negotiated a reduction from 362 acres to 262 acres, ensuring the forest’s protection,” Jinapor said.
He assured that strict measures are in place to prevent unauthorized possession of the land, emphasizing that no part of the Achimota Forest has been claimed by individuals since the agreement was finalized a year ago.
