New lands Commission bill soon -Ms. Iddi

Takoradi, Sept. 3, GNA - The Land Administration Project (LAP) on Wednesday inaugurated three Customary Land Secretariats (CLS) at Takoradi, for the Wassa Fiase, Asebu and Denkyira traditional areas, in the Western and Central regions.

In a speech read on her behalf, Madam Rita Tani Iddi, Deputy Minister for Lands, Forestry and Mines, said the institutional reforms before Parliament seeks to establish a Public Land Sector Agency (PLSA). Additionally a Lands Commission Bill has been placed before Parliament and would be passed into law before the house goes on recession this year.

Madam Iddi said 38 Customary Land Secretariats (CLS) was established last month, adding that three new ones would also be inaugurated in Sunyani for the Drobo, Techiman and Nkoranza traditional areas by the middle of this month. The Deputy Minister added that five more CLS will be commissioned for Paga, Bongo, Damongo, North Mo-Bamboi and Sagmaalu of Wa, all within September this year.

She said government was determined to support and strengthen the Customary Land Owners (CLO), who would benefit from series of training to improve on their capacity. Madam Iddi said the CLS if given the right orientation and training, would assist in resolving the increasing land disputes at the local level and minimize the number of cases sent to court for prosecution.

"Additionally, they could manage the land records and use such records to improve land revenue, strengthen land administration and make information on land rights and interests, land availability, access and security of tenure," she said. Madam Iddi said series of training programmes will be organized for CLS staff and members of the Land Management Committees (LMC). Madam Iddi disclosed that enumeration of rights and interest in land would be carried out to establish a database on land holdings in the various traditional areas.

"Alternative dispute resolution and regularization of title to lands of various occupations and use would also be promoted. Mr Patrick Amoah, Western Regional Coordinator of the LAP said that it is government's intension that every customary land owner would adopt a CLS in their localities for proper land management. He said the increasing conflict in land could be solved by the introduction of modern structures in land administration. Mr Amoah said many people sometimes, engaged in multiple-sale of land without the consent of the original owners.

"Multiple sale of land had compounded the woes of the country and had made land administration difficult," he stressed. Mr Mark K. Ampeh, National Facilitator of the Customary Land Administration Unit, said government had already started work in some areas but people were not aware of the secretariat. He said sensitization programmes would begin in areas with the CLS to inform them about the need to process their lands legally. Osagyefo Kwamina Enimil, the sixth, Omanhene of Wassa Fiase Traditional area, assured the government of the readiness of the three traditional areas to live up to expectation. A memorandum of understanding (MOU) was signed between the government and three CLS. The three secretariats were later presented with a motor cycle each, office furniture and other computer accessories. 4 Sept. 08