Achimota Forest: Government Denies Sale of Reserve For Commercial Development
- The government has been facing massive criticism Tuesday for allegedly selling the Achimota Forest Reserve for commercial development
- Thousands of Ghanaians, including notable members of the society, took to social media to bash the president, Nana Akufo-Addo, for what they call a bad decision
- However, in a short reaction, Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Abu Jinapor, has denied that the government has sold the rich reserve
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The government has denied reports that the Achimota Forest Reserve has been sold for commercial development following thousands of critical comments online.
Thousands took to social media to bash the government, particularly President Nana Akufo-Addo, for allegedly selling the rich reserve for development.
Source: Facebook
It is not clear where the allegations of the sale of the reserve originated from on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, however, a document sighted by YEN.com.gh when the claim went viral read in part:
“All the five parcels of land specified in this Schedule as Sites A, B, C, D and E containing an approximate total area of 361.50 Acres or 146.30 Hectares more or less situate, lying and being at ACHIMOTA-ACCRA in the Greater Accra Region of the Republic of Ghana all of which five parcels of land are more particularly delineated on Plan No. 073/2022 attached hereto and thereon shewn edged pink.”
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The unauthenticated document that fueled the viral allegations about the forest reserve also suggested that only parts will be used for the development. According to the document, an Executive Instrument 144 on the deal, gazetted on behalf of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo on April 19, 2022, came into force on May 1, 2022.
Kofi Bentil, Vice President of think tank IMANI Africa, posted the following comment on Facebook:
“Bye Bye Achimota Forest. Sold!! What is this??!!!”
A respected staff of A Rocha Ghana, a pro-environment civil society organisation, Daryl Bosu, also posted on Facebook:
“I have just read with sadness Executive Instrument 144, degazetting portions of the Achimota Forest, the only remaining green belt in Ghana's capital city. By the EI, approximately a quarter of the forest has been chipped away, and will soon be used for other purposes other than the forest services it was previously providing. Terrible day for Ghana.”
Many other comments expressed sadness over the news. @Michael Paddy commented:
“Eeee Nana Addo!!! Achimota Forest is gone. Damirifa due.”
However, in a short but quick rebuttal, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resource, Abu Jinapor, denied the claim that the forest has been sold.
“Achimota Forest has NOT and will NOT be sold!!!”
Director of Communications at the Presidency, Eugene Arhin, has also told YEN.com.gh that the claim is utterly false. The government will soon issue a more detailed statement on the matter, he assured.
Barker-Vormawor: FixTheCountry's Convener Gets Arrested Again, Social Media Bash Government
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh has reported on another trending matter about the arrest of the lead Convener of the #FixTheCountry Movement, Oliver Barker-Vormawor, for an alleged road traffic offence.
In a post on Facebook on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, Barker-Vormawor revealed that he was being held at the East Legon Police cells after he was arraigned before the Madina District Court.
According to him, police have charged him with “careless and inconsiderate driving.”
Source: YEN.com.gh
