Assinman to get Customary Land Secretariat

The Office of the Administration of Stool Lands (OASL) has initiated a process to establish a Customary Land Secretariat (CLS) in the Assin North Municipality under the second phase of the Land Administration Project (LAP-2).

The first step in the process was a workshop held on Thursday at Assin Fosu to sensitise the Attandansu Traditional Council, customary land owners, Assembly members and other stakeholders on the functions and benefits of CLS in land Administration at the local level.

Addressing the participants, Mr. Prince Gyapong, Acting Central Regional Stool Lands Officer of OASL, bemoaned the low records on land dealings in the country, which has led to conflicts, multiple sales and reduced investors’ confidence and in extreme cases, loss of lives and property.

He said CLSs were therefore to help Traditional Authorities and land owning communities to put in place the necessary structures at the local level, which would among other things, improve upon land records to ensure investor confidence and reduce land litigations.

Mr Gyapong said the CLS’s when established, would be mandated to keep and maintain up to date records, provide information about the land owning community to the public and serve as a link between the land owning community and public sector agencies, such as the OASL and Lands Commission.

He said it would also promote Alternative Resolution Disputes (ADR) , keep records on land related public disputes, prepare periodic reports of all activities of the secretariat, including accounts and expenditure on the local land transaction as well as receive all correspondence on behalf of the LMC.

The Acting Regional Director explained that CLSs are specialised offices established by Local Land Owning Committees with support from the Government to improve land management and administration in the country, under the LAP, being implemented by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.

Under LAP-1 in 2003, a total of 34 CLSs were set up nationwide on a supply led approach, while the three already set up ones were strengthened. However, under the LAP-2 the process would be on a demand led approach to ensure commitment.

Mr. Gyapong said its benefits include the promotion of peaceful development of local communities, minimize land related disputes and conflicts, clarify ownership and land use rights, provide accurate land records and also create greater awareness of land right among the venerable; women, very poor landless families and tenants.

He said the next step in the process would be the placing of a formal request by interested customary land owners, since the LAP-2 was on demand led approach, followed by an assessment of capacity of land owning groups to sustain the CLS, based on set criteria, and finally, the selection of qualified applicants for supports.

He also enlightened participants on Customary Boundary Demarcation (CBD), Rural Parcel Right Demarcation and Ascertainment of Customary Law Project (ACLP), which were also key areas under the LAP and urged them to take advantage of the project to know the exact demarcation of their lands.

The Coordinating Director of the Assin North Municipal Assembly, Alhaji Ibrahim Tijani and other participants commended the initiative and pledged their support towards its implementation.