Establish offices in districts to improve land administration - Minister to Lands Commission board
The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, has urged the Lands Commission Board in the Upper East Region to consider establishing satellite offices in some districts to improve land administration.
This, he said, would enable the satellite offices to collect and gather information relating to land administration and registration, so that they can be forwarded to the regional level for the necessary action to be taken.
“For example, if someone is supposed to travel from Garu to Bolgatanga to file a document and return and come back again for feedback, it would obviously be a financial drain on such an individual,” he said.
Mr Sulemana made the remarks when he inaugurated the regional board of the Lands Commission in Bolgatanga last Tuesday.
The 22-member board, chaired by a senior lecturer at the Bolgatanga Technical University, Professor Daniel Azerikatoa Ayoung, was sworn in by Justice Charles Gyamfi Danquah, a Court of Appeal Judge.
Decentralisation
Mr Sulemana stated that the decentralisation of land administration was a critical pillar of the government's strategy, leading to the establishment of functional regional lands commissions for the benefit of all.
“By establishing functional regional offices, we bring land services closer to the people, reduce cost and travel time, as well as empower regional and local stakeholders to take ownership of land governance processes,” Mr Sulemana said.
The Minister said as part of the government’s broader vision to transform the country into a 24-hour economy, the ministry and the Lands Commission were prioritising initiatives that would enhance the ease of doing business.
A key driver of this agenda, he indicated, is the digitalisation of land records and processes through the Enterprise Land Information System (ELIS), noting; “we are working towards an end-to-end digital platform that will enable stakeholders to search, apply, process and access land services online anytime and anywhere.”
He mentioned that the move was essential for improving service delivery, reducing human interface, curbing land disputes and enhancing investor confidence.
Composition
The Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga, said the inauguration of the constituted board was a vital step towards ensuring transparency, accountability and efficiency in land use for sustainable development.
He charged the board members to use their various expertise to tackle land-related challenges, including boundary disputes, encroachment on government lands and issues of compensation, among others.
On behalf of the board, Professor Ayoung pledged that they would ensure that all land issues are fairly treated, as well as make land available for the execution of development projects.
Writer’s email: gilbert.agbey@graphic.com.gh
