Volta region lands commission inaugurated

Ho, April 25, GNA - Dr. Christine Amoako-Nuama, Minister for Lands and forestry has called on the reconstituted Volta region lands commission to pursue dialogue and alternate dispute resolution mechanisms in resolving the region's land problems.

The commission's work should also be based on objectivity and to be innovative so that its recommendations would guarantee sanity and discipline in land administration in the region.

Dr. Amoako-Nuama made the call when she inaugurated 19 member commission at Ho on Tuesday. It will be in office for four years. She drew the commission's attention to the fact that sanity in land administration in the county is central to the country's development hence the need for its prudent utilisation for the maximum benefits to be derived from it.

Dr. Amoako-Nuama said it is in this vein that collaborative approaches must be adopted with traditional authorities land owners and district assemblies in dealing with issues concerning land and its administration.

The minister drew the commission's attention to the loose control of the lands commission over lands in the Volta region where lands are owned by families. She explained that "the 1992 constitution distinguishes between stool and family lands, and as a result family lands are no longer subjected to the concurrence of the lands commission".

She said that "concurrence has the benefit of eliminating multiple land sales as a result of the regulatory activity of the lands commission." Dr. Amoako-Nuama therefore charged the commission to take steps to deal with people who pose as surveyors and tend to fuel the land problems in the region by their unprofessional activities.

She also charged the commission to deal with delays in processing land documents at the regional lands secretariat and the alleged collection of illegal fees by some officials.

Dr. Amoako-Nuama took serious exception to the exclusion of women on the commission. In his address, the regional minister Lieutenant Colonel Charles Agbenaza (rtd) called on the commission to educate landowners in the region to deal only with qualified professions in land matters.

He said it is also important to educate landowners to identify and mark out their boundaries scientifically instead of with such impermanent features as water courses, trees footpaths and anthills because such features could be shifted or removed.."

Lt. Col. Agbenaza asked the commission to take into account the decentralised land tenure system in the region and the nature of dispute and problems arising out of this.

Mr. Gustave Agbo, chairman of the commission thanked the government for the confidence reposed in the members and pledged that members will do their best to live up to expectation.

He called for the review of their sitting allowances and vehicles maintenance allowance for members who use their own cars in attending the commission's deliberations.