Iddi: Govt committed to Land Reforms Policy
Government says its is deeply committed to the on-going five-year Land Administration Project aimed at reforming the systems and structures of the land sector, Deputy Minister for Lands, Forestry and Mines Rita Tani Iddi has stated.
The project, when fully implemented, will help Ghana to reap the full benefits of the available land and natural resources, reduce poverty and promote socio-economic development amongst the beneficiary communities.
Officials of the Lands Administration Project say a major component of the reform is the strengthening of customary land administration units owned by land owning communities.
Speaking at the inauguration of the Bole Traditional Area Customary Land Secretariat in the Northern Region, Madam Tani Iddi said the establishment of the secretariat will help to "keep and maintain up to date records of land rights and interests, as well as day to day land transactions would lead to security of tenure and easy access to land in the area."
According to the minister, benefits that will be accrued to traditional areas which will be hooked to the reform will include the promotion of peaceful development of local communities, minimised land related disputes and conflicts, provision of accurate land records at the local level that can be accessed by the local people and investors, among others.
With these enormous gains, Madam Tani Iddi reiterated government's commitment to making the reform a reality, saying "for these reasons government will do everything possible to make this land secretariat work."
The first phase of government support she mentioned was the supply of computers and accessories, office furniture, air conditioner, photo copier and cabinets.
The minister further assured the chiefs and people of the Bole Traditional Area that enumeration of rights and interests in land in the area, capacity building for alternative dispute resolution as well as regularisation of title of lands would also be carried out.
The Bole District Chief Executive, Jerry Yakubu Yahaya observed that the establishment of the land secretariat in the area will eventually bring sanity in the administration of land in the area.
"The administration of land, particularly in the North, has its perennial land litigation and its attendant conflicts draw our development programmes backwards," the DCE noted.
He therefore called for collaboration between the District Assembly and the Traditional Authority as well as the Customary Land Secretariat office in the discharge of their day to day activities to ensure peace and security in the area.