The Lands Commission is targeting a one-month turnaround time for land registration as part of a nationwide digital reform programme aimed at reducing delays and limiting the activities of unofficial middlemen, popularly known as "goro boys".
The initiative forms part of the Strategic Land Administration Reform Project (SLAP), which is intended to modernise land administration and expand access to services through digital technology.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, addressing a press conference in Accra in Accra on Wednesday (July 15, 2026), said the current pace of land registration was unacceptable and that the reforms would make the process faster and more accessible.
"The simple business of registering your title should not be a lifetime business," the minister said.
"The Lands Commission themselves have set up a target of one month turnaround for registration of these services."
Digital services
Mr Buah said the reforms would allow most land administration services to be accessed online, reducing the need for people to rely on unofficial agents.
"We want to get to the place where people, from the comfort of their homes, can access 90 per cent of the services that these 'goro boys' and connection people have," he said.
"In the 21st century, modern technology has given us the opportunity to stop all this nonsense."
He said the Enterprise Land Information System (ELIS) was now operational in nine regional offices, namely Greater Accra, Eastern, Western, Western North, Oti, Bono East, Volta, Savannah and North East.
Mr Buah said digital processing had been introduced for the commission's major services in those regions, allowing the public to apply online for official land searches without visiting Lands Commission offices.
Reform project
Mr Buah said the Strategic Land Administration Reform Project would improve mapping and spatial data systems, strengthen digital operations at the Lands Commission and the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands, undertake systematic land titling and establish a national cadastre.
He said the project would also support customary land administration, boundary demarcation, boundary data integration and the development of land banks.
Mr Buah said the Ministry of Finance, acting on the directive of President John Dramani Mahama, had approved the retention of 67 per cent of funds that would otherwise have been paid into the Consolidated Fund to finance the project.
Expanded access
Mr Buah said the government was extending land administration services to more parts of the country.
He said four new offices of the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands had been opened this year at Dema in the Ahafo Region, Abesim in the Bono Region, Kwabeng in the Eastern Region and Amomole in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
He added that a new Customary Land Secretariat had been established in the Sefwi Traditional Area, while the Mim and Hwidiem Customary Land Secretariats had been upgraded to improve land governance, record management and alternative dispute resolution.
Mr Buah said the reforms were expected to make land administration quicker and easier for the public.
"The ultimate goal is to digitalise and provide very quick turnaround time and services," he said.
"We will continue to expand to make sure that land administration services are brought closer to the people of Ghana and are easier to access and quicker."
