Workshop on Stool Lands Administration held

Bunso (E/R), April 29, GNA- The Minister of Lands and Forestry, Prof. Dominic Fobih, has announced that regional and district offices of the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands (OASL) with other land sector agencies were to be decentralised to pave the way for the implementation of the Land Administration Project (LAP).

He explained that LAP was the manifestation of the commitment by the government to reduce poverty and improve economic and social growth by enhancing security or tenure, simplifying the process of land acquisition and fostering prudent land management based on clear and consistent set of policies and laws.

This was contained in a speech read for him at the second District Stool Land Revenue Superintendents workshop at the Bunso Cocoa College on Wednesday.

The five-day workshop, being attended by 140 participants drawn from all districts in the country had the theme: "Implementing the LAP within the framework of decentralisation".

Prof. Fobih said under the Project, the Ministry had established seven pilot Customary Land Secretariats in the country and told the participants that since the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands was the leading implementing agency, revenue superintendents would be expected to help in the education of stakeholders at the districts to make the project realise its goal.

He warned them that posterity would judge their contribution to the success of the Project.

The Minister reminded them that their activities would be monitored closely to ensure that they performed according to set standards and code of ethics, emphasising that the government's stand on corruption would be visited on them.

The Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Gustav Narh Dometey, in an address read on his behalf, regretted that the administration of land and the judicious use of revenue generated from the sector was "not the best."

He, therefore, asked the participants to use the workshop to build their capacity and ensure that they efficiently performed their responsibilities.

The Administrator of Stool Lands, Dr (Mrs) Matilda E. Fiadzigbey, who stressed on the importance of good land management to the socio-economy of the country, said her office had kept faith with communities where they operate and to ensure maximum revenue mobilization from stool lands.

The Nifahene of Akim Abuakwa Traditional Area and Asiakwahene, Osabarima Agyemang, who chaired the function, called for co-operation between the OASL and traditional council for the effective administration of stool lands.