ISSER organises research on land tenure in Kumasi

Kumasi, April 26, GNA -Mr Kwame Agyapong Boafo, Chairman of the Ashanti Regional Lands Commission, on Tuesday accused chiefs and other traditional authorities of playing leading roles in the general indiscipline in the land sector.

He said chiefs, who had the traditional authority to protect the land, have now become worse offenders of encroachment and unauthorised sale of public and community lands.

Mr Boafo was speaking at a regional workshop on land policy reforms in Ghana in Kumasi.

The workshop, which was organised by the Institute of Statistical Social and Economic Research (ISSER) in collaboration with the Ashanti Regional Lands Commission and USIAD, aimed at discussing ISSER's proposal for a three-year research programme to focus on the problems of land tenure and administration in Ghana.

The research is expected to provide greater clarity and to fill gaps in the knowledge about the nature of land tenure and administration in Ghana.

Citing Ashanti Region as an example, Mr Boafo said some chiefs had encroached on school lands, Owabi Dam catchments area and recreational centres for their personal gains, adding, "lands of all educational institutions are under serious assault from chiefs".

He also accused the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly (KMA) of supervising the haphazard development and encroachment of water bodies by private developers in the metropolis.

Dr George Botchie, the ISSER Project Co-ordinator, said the nationwide research project was to complement the efforts of the Land Administration Project (LAP).