‘You’re a disgrace if you steal state property’ – Sam George slams politicians

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The Member of Parliament for Ningo Prampram, Sam Nartey George has gone hard on his colleague politicians who are fond of using foul means to acquire properties belonging to the state.

For him, political actors who “create, loot and share” are nothing but a “disgrace” to our hard-fought democracy.

In a post on Twitter, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) legislator wrote:

“Any politician, past or present, NDC or NPP, member of the Legislature or Judiciary or business-person involved in this blatant looting scheme is a disgrace to our democracy. Shame on you all.”

Sam George is commenting following the news of the degazetting of portions of the Achimota Forest Reserve through the Executive Instrument 144 and the purported will of former Forestry Commission head, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, also known as Sir John.

The development has generated a lot of controversy in the Ghanaian media, with varied comments being expressed about the propriety of the action amidst the country’s state commitments to environmental protection.

Although the government says the degazetted portion, about 361 acres, is being ceded to the custodial owners of the forest land, the Owoo family, environmentalists insist that the government ought to protect and preserve it due to its importance.

Days after that, the Achimota forest is back in the news after a purported will of former Forestry Commission head, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, also known as Sir John, became public.

In the purported will, Sir John willed acres of land he owned in his name, and others he owned in the name of his companies in the Achimota forest to some relatives.

He also willed acres of land at the Sakumono Ramsar site to relatives.

Many have spoken against the development, and accused the late Sir John of taking advantage of his office to amass for himself lands that ought to be protected for the state.

The Lands Commission has already said that it has no records to show that Sir John owns lands in the Achimota Forest, but the Ministry for Lands and Natural Resources has said while the purported will is a subject of litigation in court, it is revoking any authority of the said Achimota forest and Sakumono Ramsar site lands to any private individual.