‘Sir John’s will is being contested in Court’ – Lands Ministry

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources says preliminary investigations into reports suggesting that the late former Forestry Commission Chief Executive, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, popularly called Sir John, bequeathed portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve and Ramsar site lands to his relatives reveal that the will in question is being contested in court. 

It also said there are no records at the Lands and Forestry Commissions to support claims that the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie acquired portions of the Achimota Forest or the Sakumono Ramsar Site Lands.

“Further checks at the Lands and the Forestry Commissions, the repositories of the records of thelands in question, show no record of ownership of Lands at, the Achimota Forest or the Sakumono Ramsar Site, by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie.”

Nonetheless, the Ministry went ahead to nullify any ownership of the Achimota Forest and the Sakumono Ramsar site as captured in the document purported to be Sir John’s will.

“That said, given the totality of the circumstances of the said allegations, I, as Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, have directed the Lands and Forestry Commissions to deem any ownership of lands, both, in the Achimota Forest and the Sakumono Ramsar Site by the late Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie as void and are to take the appropriate actions accordingly.”

“Government will act on any improper acquisition of any Public Lands, regardless of how it was procured, whether now or in the past, and the Achimota Forest Lands will not be an exception,” it further assured

Parts of his will read: “I give my land situated at the Achimota Forest in the name of Jakaypro Limited and measuring 5.541 acres to the following persons forever.