24-hour economy will have implications for land administration - Expert

The 24hour economy strategy proposed by John Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC), continues to attract comments by professionals in different fields.

Speaking at the 2024 Annual Real Estate Society Conference in Livingstone Zambia on 10-13 September on solutions to Africa’s land governance challenges, a land expert and legal practitioner, Dr. Gad Asorwoe Akwensivie said a 24hour economy will have serious implications for land administration in Ghana particularly on land service delivery by the public sector agencies.

Dr. Akwensivie said currently in Ghana, there is a huge backlog of land registration applications pending at the Lands Commission resulting from the long turn-around time for completing land registrations and that a 24hour economy would enable the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands and the Lands Commission to clear the backlog of applications at the Survey & Mapping, the Public & Vested Land Management, the Valuation and the Land Registration Divisions of the Commission.

He said some applications for searches and title registrations have taken more than a year to complete and that incorporating a shift system into the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands and the Lands Commission would not only help clear the backlog, but help to shorten the turn-around time for service delivery, and thereby enable the public sector to serve clients better.

“People won’t have to use “goro-boys” anymore because if you submit your indenture to the Customer Service and Access Unit (CSAU) and you are sure to get quick service, why would you use “goro-boys?” he asked and stated that “If the back offices work at night, it should be possible for some light documents and non-inspection cases to be completed within a 24hour cycle”.

This would lead to an improvement of Ghana’s ranking on indices such as The World Bank’s Doing Business Report which is published periodically. It would help improve the country’s competitiveness in attracting Foreign Direct Investment.

He said, Lands Commission in particular plays a crucial role in the nation’s development due to the nature of the services it renders such as application for lease on state land and title and deeds registration.

He said, if these services can be rendered quickly, investors can make informed decisions on land faster and that would boost local and foreign investment.

Dr. Akwensivie said banks would also benefit from a 24hour economy. Financial institutions would be able to advance loans quickly because loan applicants won’t have to wait for one or two months to complete a certificate of search report.

“Estate developers and professionals in the built environment such as architects, surveyors, valuers, civil engineers, quantity surveyors and lawyers who rely on the services of these public sector agencies can expect to render more efficient services to their clients”.

Dr. Akwensivie argued that as a lawyer, he believes a 24hour economy would help to improve the efficiency of the judiciary because when land administration is improved, conflicts resulting from indeterminate boundaries, ownership, etc.

would be reduced which in turn would cut the frequency of land related litigation.

He drew on lessons from developed countries implementing the 24hour economy and concluded that a 24hour economy strategy of 3-shifts, 3-employees, 1-job would be a game changer.

AfRES, is a continent-wide organization founded in 1997. It seeks to promote research, education and networking among property professionals and academics across Africa.

This year’s conference brought together over 1000 participants from across the continent and across the globe to discuss and present innovative solutions to real estate challenges under the theme, “Smart Cities in Africa for the 21st Century”.