'Each man for himself, God for the select few' - How Atta Mills described NPP’s ‘property owning democracy'

Parts of Achimota Forest declassified as a forest reserve

Kofi Bentil calls for proper asset declaration system

Abu Jinapor denies the forest has been sold

"Property owning democrats," the tagline of the governing New Patriotic Party, NPP, known to be the capitalists, has been making rounds on social media after some portions of the Last Will and testament of the party's former General Secretary, Sir John, was made public.

The Will details how much wealth Sir John, real name Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, willed to his children and nephews.

Some portions relating to prime lands in Accra have dominated discussions in mainstream and on social media. Many Ghanaians were outraged after a signed Executive Instrument, E.I. by the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, declassifying parts of the Achimota Forest as a forest reserve were made public.

Some social media users accused the political class of an attempt to sell the lands to themselves and their cronies. The government has denied the accusations, saying it was only returning part of the land to its rightful owners.

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But Sir John's Will contains four parcels of specified and unspecified acres of land in the Achimota Forest, which the late politician bequeathed to named persons.

Prior to the 2008 presidential and parliamentary elections, Professor John Evans Atta Mills [of blessed memory], who at the time was contesting the elections as an opposition leader with Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, described the NPP's mantra of property owning democracy as "each man for himself and God for the select few."

In a campaign video of the NDC, the late Prof Atta Mills said:

"Nana Addo is talking about having fought for democracy, [and] having fought for human freedom. It is quite clear that they are following their tradition property owning democracy, as they call themselves. That is each man for himself and God for the select few."

Watch below the campaign video of Atta Mills and NDC