Government to cancel uncompleted public land deals after 8,160-lease review

Government will cancel all uncompleted public land transactions and re-examine completed ones after reviewing 8,160 leases executed or initiated between 2017 and 2024 across all 16 regions, Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced.

The sweeping action follows a nationwide audit ordered by President John Dramani Mahama, which uncovered instances of state properties being priced at as little as one percent of market value, depriving the state of significant revenue and undermining public trust.

Under the reforms, public land premiums will be raised to a minimum of 70 percent of assessed market value.

Government will also publish beneficiary lists region by region, beginning with Greater Accra and require ministerial approval for all future allocations.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra, Buah said Cabinet had approved the immediate implementation of recommendations from a committee established last year to review public land leases.

“The establishment of this committee underscores government’s firm commitment to restoring public confidence in land administration and ensuring that public lands are managed with integrity, efficiency and in the best interest of national development,” he said.

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Scope of review

The committee examined 4,176 direct allocations, 2,799 regularisations, 19 allocations relating to state bungalows, 108 land-swap or public-private partnership arrangements, 795 subsequent transactions and 263 fresh allocations.

According to the minister, several applications and allocations failed to comply fully with Lands Commission procedures – weakening transparency and accountability while exposing the system to potential abuse.

To address the situation, all uncompleted transactions within affected categories will be cancelled and applicants formally notified. Completed transactions will undergo case-by-case review, with any allocation found to have bypassed due process being revoked.

“For the avoidance of doubt and to ensure consistency in implementation, a transaction will be treated as completed where a formal offer has been issued and accepted by the applicant. Transactions that do not meet this threshold will be treated as uncompleted for the purposes of this exercise,” he said.

Both completed and uncompleted application lists will be published on the Ministry and Lands Commission websites on a region-by-region basis.

Affected applicants will be permitted to reapply once the reform process is completed.

Reform measures

The overhaul includes a review of the Public Land Application Form (Form 5), tighter internal processes at the Lands Commission, legislation to anchor the reforms, revision of public land premiums, compilation of market value data for defined land clusters and establishment of a Public Land Protection Task Force.

Buah also announced that the temporary suspension of Lands Commission services – including leasing, processing and regularisation of public lands – has been lifted.

“All activities can resume immediately, but strictly in accordance with the new reforms and procedures announced today. This will ensure that every transaction going forward adheres to the principles of transparency, accountability and value for money, while safeguarding the interests of both the state and legitimate applicants,” he said.

Public lands, he noted, are vested in the president in trust for the people of Ghana and must be administered in the public interest to support national development, public infrastructure and equitable access.

The ministry has secured full retention of the Lands Commission’s internally generated funds, with 67 percent earmarked to finance the Land Bank and Digitisation Project, an initiative aimed at improving efficiency, transparency and public confidence in land administration for the benefit of present and future generations.