Customary Land Secretariat commissioned at Ngleshie Alata

A Customary Land Secretariat (CLS) has been commissioned in the Ngleshie Alata Traditonal Area of Accra by The Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands.

The secretariat is aimed at supporting Traditional rulers and authorities to keep records of land transactions in their respective areas so as to among other things, prevent land related conflicts and also to mobilize revenue for development.

It is also a specialized office that is mandated to improve land management and administration in the communities.

The CLS would be operated by the local people and will maintain records that would be avaible to members of the community.

Addressing the commission, Dr Isaac Bonsu Karikari, National Project Coordinator of the second Ghana Land Administration Project, made it known that the establishment of the CLS was to decentralize land administration in the country.

He noted that Chiefs in Ghana had custody of over 75% of lands in the country, a situation making it necessary for the institution of an effective and transparent land management system.

He also decried the low agricultural productivity in Africa and he attributed it to the existing poor land governance system.

In his address, Alhaji Bayeh, the Technical Director of the Ministry of Lands and Forestry, on behalf of Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources informed the gathering that 37 CLS has so far been established throughout the country to help build the capacity of Traditional authorities in land management.

He also stated that the second phase of the Land Administration Project (LAP) was to consolidate the gains of the LAP phase one by deepening reforms.

'The second phase is also helping the implementing agencies to focus on the removal of business bottlenecks through the process of re-engineering and the automation of work processes', he added.

On his part, Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio V, Paramount Chief and President of the Ngleshie Alata Traditonal Area, expressed appreciation to the Ministry of Lands and Resources and the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands for the establishment of the CLS in Ngleshie Alata Traditional Area.

Oblempong Nii Kojo Ababio V also noted there was no formal land management in his traditional area and acknowledged the establishment of the CLS as a means to strengthen land administration processes in his jurisdiction.

By Franklin Badu Jnr/Daily Graphic/Ghana