To this effect, the Survey  Department  has been directed to undertake survey and demarcation of the portions of land to be released.

The Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Esther Obeng-Dapaah, disclosed this at a media briefing yesterday in Accra.

  The lands to be released include 112.59 acres at Mempeasem at East Legon acquired in 1974  for the construction of Accra Training College; 142.63 acres at Ogbojo, East Legon, acquired in 1977 which was meant for the National Women Training Centre, and 99.9 acres at Adenta acquired in 1968 for the West Africa Senior High School.

The rest are 400.51 acres at Kwabenya acquired in 1973 for the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, 33.96 acres acquired in 1972 for Odorgonno Senior High School  and 1,198 acres acquired in 1977 for the defunct Bank for Housing and Construction currently managed by the Lands Commission.

Mrs Obeng-Dappah said the gesture was in fulfillment of a promise made by President John Agyekum Kufuor to return part of those lands to the original owners, adding that the move would also engender trust and cooperation between the state and land owning groups, as well as to promote their optimal use.

She said other lands that had not been fully encroached upon, could be retained for public use, while those that had been totally encroached upon either by the owners or trespassers would be regularised and issued with title documents.

The minister mentioned the encroached lands as 1720 acres at Ofankor, 156,181 acres at Nungua, 8,035 acres at Kwabenya, 61.64 at Achimota, 2,870.60  acres at Abeka, 11,150 at Aplaku, 93.26 acres at Sowutuom and 1,866.75 acres at Bortianor.

She explained that the government had agreed with the land owners that the portions to be released would be in  lieu of compensation for the portions to be retained by the government. 

“What is left now is for the owners of the land to finalise their internal arrangements for the signing of  the memoranda of under standing”, she said.

Mr Obeng-Dappah said the Ministry would consult major stakeholders to conclude the processes in retrieval  of relevant documents, site and boundary identification and surveying before meeting the chiefs and elders of La, Adenta, Ogbojo, Mempeassem and the Numo Nmashie Family in Accra.

Present were the Nii Odanto Ladza familes of Ga Mashie, Onormlokor families and the Odoi Ntow families of Accra.