Fourteen civil society organisations want the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) to investigate the circumstances surrounding the de-gazetting of 361 acres of the Achimota forest reserve. They are Civic Response, A Rocha Ghana, Nature and Development Foundation, EcoCare Ghana, Viridis Environmental Consult, Kasa Initiative Ghana, and the Ghana Wildlife Society. The others are Advocates for Biodiversity Conservation, Forest Watch Ghana, 350 Ghana Reducing Our Carbon, United Force for Development, Rights Advocacy Initiative Network (RAIN), Tropenbos Ghana and KCODEC. They want CHRAJ to expose any situation of conflict of interest and reveal any procedural flaw in the alleged allocation of lands in the forest as well as the Sakumono Ramsar site. The CSOs said: “Ghana’s forest reserves should be protected in perpetuity for the purposes for which they were gazette”. “Loss of any amount of forest reserve or other protected areas, no matter how small, should never be allowed”, CSOs noted. In their view, the “de-gazetting of some of the Achimota forest sets a very bad precedent for Ghana’s other protected areas”. “The reversal of these transactions on the bases of conflict of interest will send a strong message to other public officers who might be tempted in future to use their position to grab state property,” the CSO said. Below is the petition sent to CHRAJ by the CSOs PETITION INVESTIGATION INTO THE ALLEGED CONFLICT OF INTEREST BY STATE OFFICIALS IN ACQUIRING LANDS AT THE ACHIMOTA FOREST AND SAKUMONO RAMSAR SITE PARTIES Petitioners – Civic Response and Undesigned Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) Respondents – 1. Minster of Lands and Natural Resources 2. Chief Executive Forestry Commission 3. Executive Secretary, Lands Commission PETITIONER’S CLAIM Alleged conflict of interest by state officials in the acquisition of lands at the Achimota forest and Sakumono Ramsar site. FORUM Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) FAO: Joseph Akanjolenur Whittal Old Parliament House, High Street, Accra. P.O. Box AC 489, Accra. REASONS FOR CHOICE OF FORUM Constitutional body mandated to investigate allegation of conflict of interest by Public Officers in the performance of the functions of their office per Article 284 of the 1992 Constitution DATED 24th May 2022 DETAILS OF PETITION INTRODUCTION The issue of de-gazetting a portion of the legally protected Achimota Forest Reserve through the promulgation of Executive Instrument 144, which took effect on 1st May, 2022, has caused a media storm and absolute public outrage. This shows that the de-gazetting alone is clearly a matter of great public interest and concern to the good people of Ghana. However, the issues have deepened to become a matter, we believe, for investigation by the Commission for Human Rights and Administrative Justice. II. FACTS The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources announcement of the de-gazetting of parts of the Achimota Forest was followed with a media expose of the Will of Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie (Sir John), the Former Chief Executive of Forestry Commission where he apparently gifted lands, he claimed to own in the Achimota Forest and at the legally protected Sakumono Ramsar site III. PETITIONERS CASE 1. It is the case of the Petitioners that Mr. Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie’s (Sir John) apparent ownership of those lands while holding the post as the Chief Executive of the Forestry Commission amounts to conflict of interest and steps should be taken to return those assets acquired to the State. 2. We are very concerned that the alleged acquisition of state land by state officials and the related conflicts of interest and possible collusion with other state officials run very deep, and that Public Officers required by Ghana’s Constitution to declare their assets have not done so. The trust of the public is waning rapidly, and we deserve to know the truth. 3. That any allocation of portions of the Achimota Forest lands to public officers or companies of which they are shareholders or the beneficial owners since 2007 amounts to conflict of interest and all such leases, assignment or however the interest or right should be cancelled and returned to the State. IV. PRAYER 1. In respect of these concerns, we are petitioning CHRAJ on behalf of the undersigned Civil Society Organizations and the good citizens of Ghana to investigate the matters surrounding the Achimota Forest, the de-gazetting of some portions, and the people who purportedly now own or have leased or sub-leased portions of the forest either personally or through a business. Any conflicts of interest must also be exposed. 2. The Petitioners pray CHRAJ to investigate both the substantive and procedural flaws in the allocation of the lands in the Achimota Forest and Sakumono Ramsar sites and reverse all such transactions where there is conflict of interest involving public officers, their assigns, hirelings and related companies. 3. CONCLUSION Our other major concern is that Ghana’s Forest Reserves should be protected in perpetuity for the purposes for which they were gazetted. Loss of any amount of Forest Reserve or other protected area, no matter how small, should never be allowed. The de-gazetting of some of the Achimota Forest sets a very dangerous precedent for Ghana’s other forest reserves and protected areas. The reversal of these transactions on the bases of conflict of interest will send a strong message to other public officers who might be tempted in future to use their position to grab state property. Signed and submitted by Civic Response A Rocha Ghana Nature and Development Foundation EcoCare Ghana Viridis Environmental Consult Kasa Initiative Ghana Ghana Wildlife Society Advocates for Biodiversity Conservation Forest Watch Ghana 350 Ghana Reducing Our Carbon United Force for Development Rights and Advocacy Initiative Network (RAIN) Tropenbos Ghana KCODEC