Stool Lands Office to set up 300 new customary lands secretariats
The Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands (OASL) will facilitate the establishment of 300 new customary land secretariats this year to improve customary land administration in line with the Land Act 2020 (Act 1036).
The acting Administrator of Stool Lands, Gad Asorwoe Akwensivie, said the new customary land secretariats would create over 6,000 direct jobs for secretaries, drivers, information and communication technology (ICT) professionals, administrators and accountants.
He said they would also offer job opportunities for land surveyors, mediators and arbitrators, physical planners, valuation and estate surveyors, lawyers and other professionals.
Already, there are 110 customary land secretariats in operation across the country.
“These secretariats have helped to settle land disputes and reduce the frequency of land conflicts.
They have also improved transparency and accountability in land administration and served as avenues for obtaining information about land for investment,” the acting Administrator of Stool Lands said in a statement yesterday.
Mr Akwensivie said engagements with key stakeholders had started, including the various traditional institutions, namely the National House of Chiefs, Regional Houses of Chiefs, traditional councils, stools, skins, clans, families and land-based non-governmental organisations, ahead of the establishment of the customary land secretariats pursuant to Part 2, Chapter 1 of the Land Act.
Call to action
The Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands urged customary land authorities to contact regional and district offices of the OASL to commence the processes for establishing their customary land secretariats, indicating that it is now mandatory for stools, skins, families, and clans that own land to establish a customary land secretariat.
It said it would provide training and start-up equipment on a first-come, first-served basis.
About OASL
The Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands has the mandate to maximise stool lands revenue and facilitate the sustainable administration and management of stool lands through modern technology for inter-generational equity.
The office generates income through the collection of revenue, which includes rents, dues, royalties or other payments from stool lands demarcated areas.
Revenue mobilisation is an operational mandate carried out by its district and regional offices.
The office assesses rent based on location, size and use of the land.
Stool lands revenue collection or payment differs entirely from property tax, which is administered by the metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
