Additionally, the Vice President said, public sector land agencies would be reorganized into one corporate body to promote business-like and professional land management practices based on sound economic and financial consideration and transparent consultative processes. Vice President Mahama said this when he launched the 15-year Ghana Land Administration Project (LAP), which seeks to simplify the processes of acquiring land, developing the land market and fostering prudent land management.
The World Bank and other development partners have released 54.4 million dollars for the implementation of the first phase to cover five years, which would focus on developing a sustainable land administration system that is fair, efficient, decentralized, cost effective and capable of enhancing land tenure security.
Vice President Mahama said Alternative Disputes Resolutions (ADR) mechanisms would also be strengthened among various stakeholders to reduce the volume of litigation.
He stressed that Ghana's efforts at achieving sound socio-economic growth would be undermined unless efficient land management and tenure system was put in place.
"We are heavily dependent on primary-land based products for our socio-economic sustenance: agriculture, mining, timber and construction dominate sector contributions to the country's gross domestic product," he said.
However, the Vice President noted that inadequate regulatory framework, weak customarily and public land administration regimes, indeterminate boundaries of customarily lands, compulsory acquisition by government of large tracts of land without payment of compensation and other problems were hindering the progress of the economy.
Many investors, the Vice President said, had left the country with their investments because of the land administration system and its associated delays and frustration.
Consequently, he said, it was crucial to ensure "easy access to land, security of land rights and tenure, prudent use of the nation's land resources and the ease of transfer of land rights."
Vice President Mahama said land ownership and administration system also played a critical role in the implementation of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS), whose medium term priorities centred on infrastructural development, modernized agriculture based on rural development and private sector development.
"Failure to provide for the protection of land rights and prevention of abuse of traditional and institutional procedures places the land rights of the poor, the illiterate, the vulnerable and women at risk," he said.
He, therefore, tasked the implementing agencies of LAP to review the "Abunu" and "Abusa" of agricultural tenancies negotiated in oral agreements in line with modern demands to make the system fairer for the mutual benefit of stakeholders.
Ms Theresa Ameley Tagoe, Deputy Minister Lands and Forestry, said the first phase of LAP, would achieve the harmonization of Land Policy and Legislative Framework; Institutional reform and Development; Improvement in Land Titling, Registration, Valuation and Information Systems and effective monitoring of the processes.
She said a comprehensive consultative process was used in the formulation of the project, adding that researchers, traditional rulers, businessmen, industrialists and agriculturists were involved. Ms Tagoe said the approach would be maintained in the implementation of the project to be spearheaded by Land Policy Steering Committee.
Odeneho Gyapong Ababio II, President of the National House of Chiefs, said it was important to involve traditional rulers in all the stages of the project to ensure its success.
He called for a legislation that would ensure the involvement of chiefs in the processes of land development and use to curtail the haphazard manner in which projects are sited and its associated environmental and safety hazards.
Odeneho Ababio who is also the Omanhene of Sefwi Bekwai urged the government to increase the revenue on land paid to chiefs so that they could contribute to the development of their areas, saying it was unacceptable to pay 60 per cent of their revenue to the Forestry Commission, which is not accountable to them.
Chiefs from various parts of the country, land administrators and developers and other stakeholders attended the ceremony.
Source: GNA
He said: "I hope people can now have justice at the law courts," and lauded the new Chief Justice for moving a step further by establishing a complaints unit to address the concerns of people who felt they were denied justice by the judicial system.
Mr Nimako was speaking at a public lecture to mark the tenth anniversary of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in the East Akim District at Bunso on Monday.
The theme for the anniversary was: "Ten years of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice - Achievements, Prospects and Challenges".
Mr Nimako said although members of the bench were not angels, there was the need for them to act in a way that would make people have confidence in the judicial system.
This, he believed, could help reduce violence in the society adding that despite the existence of the right to a decent living, it could be an illusion if the economy did not improve.
Mr Nimako said the country still depended on traditional export without any effort by the authorities to explore new areas to expand the foreign earning base.
In an answer to a question, he explained that, until the criminal laws and procedures were amended, armed robbers could not be sentenced to death.
Mr James Maprah, East Akim District Director of CHRAJ, said his office had received 164 cases of human rights abuses since 2001 to date out of which 139 were settled.
Source: GNA
He administered the oaths of office and secrecy to the members, with Mr Justice Isaac Richard Aboagye as the Chairman at the Castle, Osu. Other members were, Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi II, Paramount Chief of Kukuom Traditional Area in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Kwabena Berchie-Antwi, Dr Joseph Paul Okang, Mr Jonathan Addo Allotey, Mr Edward Puowole Karbo and Mr Eustace Nii-Amah Kumi-Bruce.
The rest were, Mr Mosobila Kpaama, Mr Kwame Agyapong Boafo, Alhaji Naa Abubakari Von Salifu, Mr Edmund Salifu Dam, Mr Samuel Asare Atuobi, Mr Paul Kwabena Damoah, Nana Kofi Ennin Insaful, Mr Akwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, Professor George Kofi Ansah Ofosu-Amaah and Mr Ibrahim Hamidu Baryeh. The two members who were absent were, Mr Emmanuel Tetteh Danyo and Mr Michael Zewu Glover.
Present at the ceremony was the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Lands and Forestry and his Deputy Miss Theresah Amarley Tagoe.
Members of Lands Commission urged to review land reforms
Accra, Oct. 10, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Friday, called on members of the re-constituted National Lands Commission to review land reforms conform with the various customs and the statute laws to facilitate land administration and encourage business.He said a major constraint to business was the poor and confused land tenure system pertaining in the country.
President Kufuor made the call when he swore into office 17 of the 19-member reconstituted Commission.
He administered the oaths of office and secrecy to the Commission under the Chairmanship of Mr Justice Isaac Richard Aboagye, at the Castle, Osu.
Other members were, Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi II, Paramount Chief of Kukuom Traditional Area in the Brong Ahafo Region, Mr Kwabena Berchie-Antwi, Dr Joseph Paul Okang, Mr Jonathan Addo Allotey, Mr Edward Puowole Karbo and Mr Eustace Nii-Amah Kumi-Bruce.
The rest were, Mr Mosobila Kpaama, Mr Kwame Agyapong Boafo, Alhaji Naa Abubakari Von Salifu, Mr Edmund Salifu Dam, Mr Samuel Asare Atuobi, Mr Paul Kwabena Damoah, Nana Kofi Ennin Insaful, Mr Akwasi Ameyaw Cheremeh, Professor George Kofi Ansah Ofosu-Amaah and Mr Ibrahim Hamidu Baryeh. The two members who were absent were, Mr Emmanuel Tetteh Danyo and Mr Michael Zewu Glover.
President Kufuor said unfortunately laws on land use were not streamlined but administered according to the customs pertaining in a particular area in the country while the customs vary from place to place.
He said land was basic to everything connected with social development but unfortunately, the people have allowed "corruption to invade land administration and in many parts of the country where land was seen as sacred".
President Kufuor said because of greed and self-centeredness, corruption had invaded the whole idea of land administration and in Accra, there had been constant reports of land guards who kill and maim people about land.
"I want you to look at this problem and see if you can help harmonise and streamline land administration to cut out the perceived corruption in dealing with land. You should be able to make a dent on the problem for the betterment of society", he said.
Mr Justice Aboagye, Chairman of the Commission said access to land and security of land tenure played a crucial role to social justice and national development.
He said the country's land sector, was beset with many problems by the public and stakeholders on land administration in line with the call for good governance, transparency, probity and accountability. Mr Justice Aboagye pledged that members of the Commission would work with diligence in the national interest to the best of their ability and called for support from the government.
Present at the ceremony was the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Lands and Forestry and his Deputy Miss Theresah Amarley Tagoe.Source: GNA