The sod has been cut for the construction of an office complex for the Central Region Lands Commission in Cape Coast.
The complex, which would comprise office spaces, conference rooms, a cafeteria and other auxiliary facilities, is expected to be completed in 18 to 24 months and would be a one-stop shop to host all divisions of the Lands Commission to improve efficiency.
The project is expected to ease the congestion faced by the commission in its current office premises.
The Deputy Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Jones Ofori Buadu, said though the commission was enjoined to have offices in all the 16 regions of the country, the commission currently owned office complexes in only four regions.
Rented premises
The other offices of the commission, he said, were in rented premises, which came at a huge cost to the commission.
He said the situation had compelled the commission to build its own offices to reduce the expenditure on rent, while providing a conducive environment for staff and clients.
He said the commission was currently working to simultaneously begin four regional office complex projects as part of efforts towards providing offices for all 16 regions.
The beneficiary regions, he said, are the Savannah, Upper East, Central and Western regions.
The move, he indicated, was also part of the commission's rebranding mission, and to ensure it had a conducive environment for its intended digitalisation agenda.
Mr Buadu said the commission considered the Central Region as one of its key regions in terms of revenue and practice.
He indicated that the commission would soon begin a project to provide updated maps for the whole country, adding that the last map update was done in 1974 and that the country needed a new map for national development planning.
Crucial
The Chief Director of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Innocent Haligah, said the complex was crucial to motivate staff to give off their best.
The Regional Lands officer, Seth Owusu, said the office building would promote efficiency at work and serve the clients with diligence and hard work.
He stated that the current office was fully choked, making workers work in congested offices, thus describing the project as a welcome inspiration for staff.
"As we already know, our current office is fully choked and workers find it difficult to find a place to sit and work comfortably.
The project is an opportunity to give the commission a befitting office complex,” he said.
The Paramount Chief of Cape Coast, Osabarimba Kwesi Atta II, was optimistic that a new office complex would give workers a new zeal towards work and help deal swiftly with land issues.
The President of the Central Regional House of Chiefs, Odeefo Amoakwa Boadu VIII, commended the Lands Commission for the initiative.
He urged the commission to ensure that chiefs gave consent on the sale of stool lands, as contained in the Chieftaincy Act, saying that would help prevent many land disputes.
