The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah (MP), has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to transforming Ghana’s land administration system through comprehensive reforms and digital innovation, following the inauguration of the new Greater Accra Regional Lands Commission Board today.
In his keynote address, Hon. Buah highlighted persistent challenges in the sector, including prolonged disputes, bureaucratic bottlenecks, and transparency gaps. He emphasized that effective land governance remains pivotal to the success of the national Reset Agenda.
“Land must be secure, accessible, and efficiently administered to empower Ghanaians and catalyze national development,” the Minister declared. “The Commission’s ongoing digitization through the Enterprise Land Information System (ELIS) will eliminate manual inefficiencies and significantly reduce opportunities for corruption.”
The Minister outlined three critical priorities for the newly inaugurated board:
- Accelerating the decentralization of land services to improve accessibility
- Ensuring full compliance with statutory allodial title registration under Section 182 of the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036)
- Strengthening collaboration with the judiciary to expedite dispute resolution
“We expect this board to be agents of transformation,” Hon. Buah charged. “Your mandate includes bringing the Lands Commission closer to communities and delivering efficient, transparent, and professional services.”
Hon. Linda Akweley Ocloo, Greater Accra Regional Minister, characterized the board’s inauguration as both timely and mission-critical, given the region’s escalating land challenges. She underscored the urgency of addressing the region’s acute land challenges, including proliferating boundary disputes, rampant land guard activities, and unlawful encroachment on state properties.
“The situation demands urgent, decisive action,” Hon. Ocloo emphasized. “This board must implement practical measures to restore integrity in land administration and rigorously protect state lands from illegal occupation.”
The newly appointed Board Chairman, Isaac Nii Djanmah Vanderpuye, accepted the challenge, pledging to prioritize operational decentralization, efficiency, and accountability.
“We recognize the enormity of our task,” Mr.Vanderpuye affirmed. “This board will work tirelessly to modernize land services and rebuild public trust in the system.”
