PAC visits Lands Commission’s client service unit

The Public Account Committee has paid a fact-finding visit to the newly-created Client’s Service and Customer Access Unit of the Lands Commission, to ascertain the reality on the ground.

The visit followed the Commission’s appearance before the PAC in early March.

The Commission had appeared before the PAC to respond to issues raised in the Auditor-General's Report, prompting the PAC members to move to the site.

Mr Kwaku Agyemang Manu, Chairman of the Committee, commended the Commission for the unit, and said Parliament placed special oversight responsibility on the management of the nation’s resources.

He said the visit marked the first time PAC had moved out of Parliament to see what was put out in a report submitted to it, adding, that such visits would enable the Committee members to see things physically to be able to make informed judgement.

Mr Ben Arthur, the Head of Project Team at the Lands Commission, explained the Commission's desire to remain customer-oriented, competitive, enhance its image and reposition itself as the most preferred organization for the delivery of quality land services.

He said the Commission has undertaken a complete review of its work processes and redesigned its practices to make them more efficient and be able to deliver higher quality services to clients.

Mr Arthur said his outfit has undertaken the re-engineering of its business processes, covering the establishment of the client service and customer access unit.

He justified the execution of the project, saying it would reduce voluminous paper work and client staff contact, staff and client frustrations and improve transparency.

He added that customers were expected to complete their land title registration processes in three months when the system was fully operational.

The PAC raised series of questions bordering on the removal of middlemen in land registration process, motivation of staff, internal rules and regulations and security of the system.

But the Commission assured members that enough safety measures were put in place to adequate security and effective and efficient land management for generation unborn.

The project is being piloted in seven areas, namely Bolgatanga, in the upper East region; Tamale and Savelugu, in the Northern region; Koforidua, in the Eastern region; Sekondi, in the western region; Winneba in the Central region and Accra.

The Lands Commission was established under Article 258 of the 1992 Constitution and the Lands Commission Act 767 of 2008 as a corporate body.

The current Lands Commission, as part of the public sector reform programmes and the Ghana Land Administration Project has significantly been remodeled by the Act 767 to enhance its efficiency and effectiveness.

As part of the reforms, four Land Sector Agencies; the ‘Old Lands Commission,’ Land Valuation Board, Land Title Registry and the Survey Department have been integrated into one Corporate Agency.

The ‘New Lands Commission’ now comprises four distinct Divisions - Public and Vested Land Management Division, Land Valuation Division, Survey and Mapping Division, and the Land Registration Division.