Achimota Forest brouhaha: We have suffered historical injustice; no compensation received for 1927 acquisition

The family set to receive some portion of the land of the Achimota Forest from government, the Owoo Family has issued a press release indicating that compensation has not been paid for the 1927 acquisition.

The Owoo Family, original owners of the now Achimota Forest Reserve have been mentioned countless times in the last couple of days when news circulated that government had allegedly sold part of the reserve.

After citing what it says are false narrations on the matter, the Owoo Family has released a press statement to set the records straight.

According to the family, not only has it suffered grave historical injustice but it has also been unfairly and unjustly treated.

In an explanation, it says acreage due to the Owoo family was arrived at through a long-standing negotiation that, in many respects, predates the current administration.

This the family stressed was done with the active involvement of various State technical negotiators and agencies.

Insisting that it is yet to take possession of any parcel of land to date, the Owoo Family assures that it is committed to conducting itself in a manner that 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.

Below is a copy of the Owoo Family’s press release:

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/guests;

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 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.

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