Kennedy Ohene Agyapong, MP, Assin Central, has described assets by former Forestry Commission CEO, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly known as Sir John, as peanut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
According to him, when his last Will and Testament become public, Ghanaians will be shocked to see the properties he has been able to acquire for himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Agyapong, who was speaking to NPP delegates in the US said, the brouhaha surrounding Sir John’s Will is needless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He noted that the controversy surrounding Sir John’s Will could be an agenda propagated by the opposition NDC; as he warned his party against making comments that would further denigrate the late Sir John.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWhatever NDC is setting as an agenda, it will come to haunt us. Sometimes there is no truth in it and so we have to be careful with Sir John\u2019s issue of six plots. Me, when I declare my assets you would be shocked because when I was reading Sir John\u2019s Will I said but this is peanut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201c[If] I put myself in the person\u2019s shoes that if am dead today, is this what is going to happen even within my own party? So we have to be careful,\u201d Kennedy Agyapong stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Background<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There was a news report suggesting that the Government had gazetted an Executive Instrument (E.I.) to approve the redesignation, sale or development of Achimota Forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A document from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, making reference to an E.I., stated that the Achimota Forest Reserve is to no longer be regarded as a forest reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAn Executive Instrument (E.I.) 144 gazetted on behalf of President Akufo-Addo by the Lands Minister Samuel Abdulai Jinapor indicates that effective May 1, 2022, the land on which the Forest is located shall cease to be a forest reserve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThe President\u2019s action was in accordance with Section 19 of the Forest Act, 1927 (CAP. 157) which gives him the authority to declare that particular land is no longer required as a forest reserve,\u201d portions of the purported E.I. read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But, Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister, Lands and Natural Resources, dismissing these accusations at a press conference on Tuesday, said the Executive Instrument, E.I. 144, pertained to 361 acres of peripherals of the Achimota forest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He explained further that the government is returning to its custodial owners, identified as the Owoo family because the land was not being used for its intended purpose, which included the extension of the Achimota School.<\/p>\n\n\n\n