Parliament’s Lands and Forestry Committee has subpoenaed the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor to appear before the Committee over the incessant return of State lands to some families and traditional authorities.
The Lands and Forestry Committee’s action has been necessitated by the declassification of portions of the Achimota forest as a reserve, the alleged return of vest land (400 acres of state lands, including a section of the military barracks in Kumasi) to Asantehene, Otimfo Nana Osei Tutu II, and matters arising.
Addressing members of the Parliamentary Press Corps (PPC), the Ranking Member on the Committee, Dr. Rashid Pelpuo indicated that a crucial meeting involving the Minister will take place next Tuesday, June 7, 2022.
The Ranking Member on the Committee said “The authorities concerned on keeping government lands are showing unaccountability in the usage of the land. We are all aware of the Achimota land issue. Whilst we are still thinking about it, other issues are coming, even with our lands in Kumasi and other Regional capitals.”
“We have gotten to the point that we think we need to talk about it, and we need to get the Minister to come before the membership of the committee of Lands and Forestry to explain to us the circumstances under which government is finding it compelling to give out lands that it has acquired years ago.”
The Chief Director of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council, Mrs. Emelia Ayebeng Botchway, is reported to have written to that effect on behalf of the Regional Minister, Mr. Simon Osei Mensah.
The letter cites the issuance of “Executive Instrument 432 of 2021 by Government in respect of Redevelopment of Sector 18 of Kumasi, which was published in the Ghana Gazette on 31st December 2021.”