By: Franklin ASARE-DONKOH
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Odododiodio Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, Mr. Edwin Nii Lante Vanderpuye, says he is readily waiting for the arrest threat, which was issued by one of the factions claiming ownership of the Achimota Forest lands, Nii Odoi Kwao Family in Accra.
The threat of arrest issued by the Nii Odoi Kwao is in relation to the issues surrounding the re-declassification of portions of Achimota Forest lands.
According to the Odododiodio lawmaker, he has never dealt with the said Nii Odoi Kwao Family and so he is ready for whoever would instigate his arrest.
The Nii Odoi Kwao Family, in a Press Conference on Tuesday, June 7, 2022 called for the arrest of the Odododiodio MP.
This comes after Mr. Vanderpuye stated earlier that he is a member of the Owoo family, the family said to be the original owners of the Achimota Forest land prior to it being acquired by the State years ago.
But the Odoi Kwao Family at a Press Conference in Accra said: “It happened that there is a lawyer called John Adusei who said he is speaking on behalf of the Owoo Family of Osu.
“Secondly, Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, the Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo Constituency in Accra here also spoke that he is part of the petition for the land to be given. We, the Odoi Kwao family, are saying that the purported Owoo Family of Osu to whom the land was purported to have been given are scammers, they are criminals and therefore they have to be found and prosecuted.”
Reacting to the issue in an interview with the media, on Wednesday, Mr. Vanderpuye said: “I have no relationship with (Nii Odoi Kwao Family). I have never dealt with them in any way in my life and I was amazed and I laughed when I heard the news that I should be arrested.”
Odododiodoo lawmaker explained that “the man speaking is an elderly person and by training, I wouldn’t want to engage them but I am waiting for the arrest”.
“The Owoo family has petitioned a series of governments in this country about the Achimota land because they are the allodial owners of the land. Compensations were paid …but not on all the lands. The family also needs a place to lay their heads and as a member of the family, I support the family. I have never gotten anything from the land.”
“Where was the Odoi family when the Owoo family petitioned the government?” he queried.
“My great grandmother was part of the Owoo family…Naa Kwarley Vanderpuye…Alias Naa Ajiso. She married Nii Owoo and she owned so many lands and houses in Accra…a woman but she was very very rich and industrious. She gave a lot of land for public use.”
“There is even one in Pokuasi now in contention in which we are fighting with the Ghana Police Service and we are going back to renegotiate or take our land”, he hinted.
