The Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC), under the chairmanship of the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Hon. Daniel Nii Kwartei Titus-Glover, has issued a directive declaring the Dodowa Forest and the Pinkwai Forest at Katamanso in the Greater Accra Region, a security zone within the region.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister warned against encroachments in the zone, stressing zero-tolerance against any human activity, especially by estate developers within the forests’ enclave.
This came to light at an emergency meeting held in Accra by the Greater Accra Regional Security Council, to find a lasting solution to disputes between the people of Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region and the people of Obosomase in the Eastern Region, in connection with the Dodowa forest and Pinkwai forest at Katamanso.
Hon. Titus Glover said the Dodowa forest has to be declared a no-go area based on reliable information from key stakeholders such as the President of the Regional House of Chiefs, His Royal Highness, Prof. Nii Oboade Notse Odaifio Welentsi III and the District Chief Executive, who have appealed to the Regional Security Council to intervene immediately.
He further called on those claiming ownership of the forest from Obosomase to produce their documents, and likewise, the Shai Stool to do the same, saying they will then seek advice from the Lands Commission, so sanity can prevail between the two regions.
He further assured that the Greater Accra Regional Security Council is committed to protecting lives and property, hence this proactive directive, to avoid any clashes between residents of Dodowa and the people of Obosomase, and to seek a lasting solution to the matter.
According to the Greater Accra Regional Minister, the Dodowa forest and the Katamanso Pinkwai forest are landmarks for the Ga-Dangbe people.
He said it has a rich history and significant heritage for the Ga-Dangme people, which deserves to be preserved and protected.
Last week, the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs (GARHC) called on the government to take immediate steps to halt the destruction of the historical Dodowa Forest by real estate developers. He said the Dodowa Forest was an important biodiversity resource of historical significance, and must not be pillaged by “unscrupulous elements”.
