Lands Commission is largely the cause of land disputes in Ghana — Bernard Mornah 

Political activist Bernard Mornah has pointed fingers at the Lands Commission, accusing it of being responsible for the escalating land disputes among buyers, landowners and land guards in the country.

During an interview on UTV’s ‘Adekye Nsoroma’ show, Mr. Mornah argued that the Lands Commission has failed to provide comprehensive and accurate information to potential land buyers.

This he said including double land registration has fueled the rising land litigations across the country.

Mr. Mornah emphasized that if the Lands Commission fulfilled its duty by supplying detailed information about the availability of lands to prospective buyers, disputes over land ownership would significantly reduce.

"...before anyone buys a piece of land, there should be a thorough investigation about the availability of the land.

"I don’t see why people should sincerely fight over land. But the other thing is that the Lands Commission is largely responsible for these things.

“This is because anyone who wishes to buy a piece of land, especially a soldier, undertakes a thorough search. How come the Lands Commission is not able to provide a chunk of the information to the prospective buyer?’’ he questioned.

Addressing a recent tragedy at Kasoa Millennium City, where Lance Corporal Danso Michael was murdered over a land dispute by a landguard identified as Benlord Ababio, Mornah reiterated the need for effective land management and regulation.

Bernard Mornah further criticized the weak enforcement of laws governing land sales, attributing the prevalence of impunity among some landowners and land guards to this lapse.

"...anytime a land is sold, there is a portion that goes to the stool lands, family and the state. How is that the stool land secretariat were not able to ensure that the stool lands are well taken care of? If a stool land is registered and there is a potential buyer, the stool land administrator can reveal the availability of the land. The absence of such data will let one landlord sell a particular land to multiple buyers," he said.