By: Jones Anlimah
A new 25-member Volta Regional Lands Commission Board has been officially inaugurated in Ho to spearhead land administration and sector reforms across the region.
The board, made up of representatives from all 18 districts in the Volta Region as well as key stakeholder institutions, was sworn in by His Lordship Justice Ekow Mensah of the Ho High Court.
The institutions represented include the Ghana Bar Association, Ghana Institution of Surveyors, the Regional House of Chiefs, the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), and the Ghana National Association of Farmers and Fishermen.
The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, who represented the sector minister, stressed the significance of the board’s mandate. He noted that effective land management remains central to national development and economic transformation.
“There is virtually nothing you can do without land,” Hon. Sulemana stated. “Whether it is building a school, a hospital, or establishing a factory, land is a foundational resource. That’s why this board is vital to ensuring orderly and transparent land governance.”
The Deputy Minister underscored the need for professionalism, integrity, and commitment among members, warning against self-interest and corruption in the discharge of their duties. “If any member is here to pursue personal interests or target specific lands, this is the wrong platform. The President has made it clear: this board must serve the public, not private ambition,” he cautioned.
Hon. Sulemana announced that government was intensifying efforts to decentralize land registration processes, particularly to address challenges faced by residents. He explained that current systems force people to travel long distances to initiate or complete land registration, leading to delays, frustration, and sometimes abandonment of the process.
He said district assemblies will be expected to collaborate with the Lands Commission to establish satellite land service desks at the local level to improve accessibility and reduce turnaround time.
“We expect that within 30 working days, people should be able to register their land, all things being equal. This will be one of your key performance indicators,” he told the new board members.
The Deputy Minister added that the government will rely on existing human resources, including youth employment staff and national service personnel, to support these decentralised operations without incurring additional cost. He also revealed that a committee has been established under his chairmanship to review all lands sold under suspicious or improper circumstances in recent years.
“We have begun reviewing questionable land sales, and where necessary, lands will be reverted to the state. This is part of a broader effort to reset the country’s land governance systems,” he said.
The Volta Regional Coordinating Director, Mr. Augustus Awity, commended the newly inaugurated members and expressed confidence in their ability to deliver on their mandate. He urged them to prioritise professionalism, institutional collaboration, and digital innovation to improve land service delivery.
“This board has a unique opportunity to help transform land governance in the region. I encourage you to work closely with the Lands Commission and the assemblies, and ensure that your work is guided by transparency and public interest,” he said.
The 25-member board will serve a four-year term and is expected to play a pivotal role in supporting land sector reforms in the region, in line with national priorities such as the government’s flagship 24-hour economy programme.
The inauguration marks a key milestone in the government’s efforts to strengthen decentralised land governance, enhance transparency, and improve access to land services across the Volta Region.
