The Osu Traditional Council is contesting the release of the ‘contentious’ 136 acres of peripheral portions of the Achimota Forest to the Owoo Family.
According to a spokesperson of the Osu Stool, Nii O.T. Ankrah, the forest “perfectly” belongs to the Osu Stool but it was handed over to the State for the construction of Achimota Senior High School and subsequently, its extension.
Mr. Ankrah, who spoke on Angel FM’s Anopa Bofo Morning Show, stated that “the Owoo Family is from Ga Mashie; they cannot come from Ga Mashie and come into the bosom of someone’s land and say that land belongs to them.’
When asked if the Owoo family could not have bought the land, he responded that they should trace how they bought the land.
His concerns follow the government’s decision to declassify parts of the Achimota Forest Reserves by an Executive Instrument (EI) and return them to the pre-acquisition owners identified as the Owoo Family.
But touching on the land structure, Mr. Nii said “the land first belongs to the State – so Ga Mashie – La – Osu – [then] the state. Now when it moves to the State, it comes to the family; that’s the Weiku, the Wei then when it comes to the family, it comes to the individual…so if it not for Gbese then how did it come to Owoo Family”
“We have a problem with where the government is sending the land to…So the Gbese Family would be surprised to learn that it [the land] has been given to the Owoo Family…
“Our concern is that if the government says they are releasing the land then it should go to the rightful owners, the 136 acres should go to the rightful owners…”, he emphasized.
He buttressed his points with legal suits pursued by a former Osu Chief, Nii Akonortei.
“…because as of July 28, 2011, Suit SOL/21/2020 Nii Akonortei vs Lands Commission on the release of 172 acres of Achimota Forest then in 2014 Nii Akornotei vs Lands Commission on the release of the same 172.68 acres which was granted. There were appeals which were all dismissed”, all of which he believes is proof that the Osu Stool is the real custodian of the Achimota lands.
