Former Lands Minister, Inusah Fuseini says the Owoo family, the allodial owners of the land that serves as the Achimota Forest Reserve was duly compensated, by the British colonial government, for the land.
According to him, “compensation was paid, £4000 pounds then in 1951, 1957…I am aware that the colonial government paid four thousand pounds for the land and that was a huge amount of money in 1951.”
The former Minister for Lands and Natural Resources under the erstwhile John Mahama Administration made this revelation on Joy FM's Top Story, Wednesday.
Besides, Mr. Fuseini recalled that during his regime as a Lands Minister in 2013, a ceremony was held in the forest to release about ninety to hundred acres of the land to the Owoo family.
"A study was done and then we all agreed, including the Owoo family that, that was what they were entitled to. There was a ceremony to release that part to them that took place in the forest itself. I was there, the Wulomei was there, the Owoo family was there, and my deputy and everybody were there…about ninety to hundred acres thereabouts was released to them,” he said.
This, he said was to prevent any further encroachment on the forest and to enable the forest to be put to good use.
Against this backdrop, Mr. Fuseini contended that the Owoo family is not entitled to any further compensation from the government.
“With the greatest respect to the Owoo family, they have always maintained that they are not entitled to a dime. That’s why in my letter, I only maintained that it was only on compassionate grounds with the realisation and acknowledgment of the fact that they were the allodial owners of the land,” he said
He noted that the Owoo family to the best of his knowledge “have never claimed compensation of the land.”
He maintained that “What they have always said is because that vast amount of land was taken from them, it deprived them the benefit of the use of the land and now they are almost robbed of their resource and so government should reach out to them and see how it can put them in a better position to continue to carry on as a family.”
The Former Lands Minister also disagreed with the government’s declassification of the Achimota Forest reserves.
He questioned whether such a move by the government will prevent any further encroachment of the forest lands.
“The ultimate purpose for the return of the land to the Owoo family on compassionate grounds under His Excellency John Mahama was to try to protect what was left of the forest. So if you don’t protect the forest and you just declassify the forest, what is the guarantee that there won’t be further encroachment,” he quizzed.
Latest Stories
-
Expertise France leads EU-funded initiative empowering African Journalists to combat human trafficking
4 mins -
Ghana Grows Programme empowers Ghanaian youth through Youth Policy Dialogue
11 mins -
Eastern NDC raises GHS5.4m to support Mahama’s 2024 campaign
27 mins -
Kumawood actress Akyere Bruwaa condemns death rumours
34 mins -
Ghana Institution of Engineering calls for proactive measures to prevent flood disaster
37 mins -
Who pays for the extra cost? – COCOBOD CEO questions EU on new regulations
43 mins -
‘Dumsor’ will be over by end of May – Former NPP MP assures
60 mins -
Power crisis is not about money – NPP Manifesto Committe chair
1 hour -
Education Minister urges graduates to embrace opportunities
1 hour -
UN rights chief ‘horrified’ by mass grave reports at Gaza hospitals
2 hours -
We need more resources to deal with flooding – NADMO
2 hours -
We’ll not contest in Ejisu by-election – CPP tells EC
2 hours -
Thomas Partey makes first start in 2024 as Arsenal hit Chelsea for 5
3 hours -
Fatawu Issahaku scores hattrick as Leicester thrash Southampton
3 hours -
I was never interested in fame – Kofi Sarpong
4 hours