Minister of Land and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has strongly refuted claims that lands under his administration have been stolen and sold.
In a press briefing at the Ministry of Information on August 14, 2024, Jinapor dismissed these allegations as politically motivated and entirely unfounded.
The accusations, made by MP Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, suggested that the current Akufo-Addo administration has been involved in the sale of lands belonging to key state institutions amidst allegations of state capture.
Jinapor expressed disappointment that such allegations are resurfacing as the 2024 elections approach, a tactic he believes is meant to politicize the issue of public lands. He urged anyone with concrete evidence of land sales or theft to come forward, asserting his confidence that no such proof exists.
Regarding the Achimota Forest, Jinapor clarified that in 2013, the government approved the return of certain lands to the Owoo family.
By the time he assumed office, 362 acres of this land had already been leased, and decisions were made to return this portion to the Owoo family.
He added that records from the Lands Commission indicate that these lands were sold under the Mahama administration in 2026.
