By: Ashiadey Dotse
The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, has officially started the construction of a new office building for the Savannah Regional Lands Commission. The sod cutting ceremony took place on Tuesday, April 22, 2025, in Damongo.
The new two-storey office is expected to be completed within 12 months. It will provide a permanent and well-equipped space to help the Commission work more effectively in the region.
Currently, the Commission operates from a temporary office, which the Deputy Minister described as unfit for the important work they do.
Speaking at the ceremony, Alhaji Sulemana, who is also the Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi, said the new building will support the Lands Commission in carrying out its duties properly.
He explained that many land conflicts in communities could be avoided if lands are well-documented and registered.
He also pointed out that many entrepreneurs struggle to get loans because they cannot provide land as collateral due to poor land documentation. Foreign investors, he added, also need proper land papers before doing business in Ghana.
He stressed the need for the Commission to have a good office to handle these tasks.
Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources revealed that the Commission needs $165 million to fully digitize land records in Ghana. The Ministry plans to work with private companies to raise the money.
He urged the contractor, CK Engineering Ltd., to prioritize quality and deliver work that meets the highest standards. He assured that the project would be closely monitored, warning that any substandard work could lead to the termination of the contract. However, he also emphasized that outstanding performance would not go unnoticed, adding that exemplary delivery could open doors for the contractor to receive future project recommendations.
Surv. Adu Nsafuah, the Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of operations at the Lands Commission, said this building is part of a plan to build offices in all 16 regions of Ghana.
Right now, only four regions have their own Lands Commission offices, while the rest use rented spaces. He said this creates financial challenges.
This new building will be the first for one of the six new regions created in recent years. Mr. Nsafuah said a good working environment is important because staff spend most of their day at work. He promised that the Commission will ensure the building is completed on time.
