Land charges are too high - Chief

Accra, Sept. 20, GNA - Nana Ansah Sasraku III, Mamfehene and Kyidomhene of Akuapem on Thursday expressed concern about the high charges in land transactions, which, he said, inhibited people from formalising their land acquisition with land agencies.

He said land was a great asset and a heritage of the people, and that should be proper, efficient and affective land administration and management.

Speaking at the opening of a two-day annual seminar of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors, General Practice Division in Accra, Nana Ansah Sasraku said it was unfortunate that some professionals offer unprofessional support and take advantage of the ignorance of those who undertake the transactions in land, which put them into trouble. The two-day seminar under the theme; "Land: Our Asset and Heritage" is being attended by general practitioners throughout the country to discuss the concept of land and examine the socio-cultural significance of land in the present circumstance vis-=E0-vis the high economic considerations.

They will also consider the pragmatic ways of enhancing good management practices to enable land to serve its role, consider the contribution of surveyors

in land management over the years and identify areas where the surveying profession could contribute to enhance land administration system. Topics to be discussed include, "State Intervention in Land management for Sustainable Development, Protecting the Integrity of Land Rights, the Traditional Council's Role, Enhancing Access to land as a strategy for Poverty Reduction and Land Management System, the Layman's Perspective".

Nana Ansah Sasraku said, "For us as a people, our lands are the greatest natural resource. Without lands, we cannot even grow food. Without our lands we are nothing. Without our lands we have no future. Without our lands we are chiefs and elders of emptiness". He called on chiefs, family heads and clan heads to rather invest their lands in feasible business opportunities instead of selling them outright.

Ms Esther Obeng Dapaah, Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines said due to lack of documentation and cultural beliefs, ownership of land was passed on from generation to generation in the past without raising any capital adding, "As the world evolves, land must be used as equity in various investment ventures to improve the lives of the people". She called on surveyors to assist government, individuals and traditional authorities to use land more productively to accelerate development and also make a representation to the Ministry on practical ways of operationalising various government land policies. Ms. Obeng Dapaah pledged her support to ensure that the Real Estate Brokerage Bill be passed into and Act when it appeared before Cabinet and Parliament. 20 Sept. 07