By Felix Cofie
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has announced sweeping reforms to Ghana’s public land administration system following a nationwide review of land leases executed between 2017 and 2024.
Addressing a press conference in Accra, the Minister said Cabinet has approved the immediate implementation of recommendations made by a Committee set up to review the lease of public lands.
The review follows a directive issued on January 10, 2025, by President John Dramani Mahama, ordering the Lands Commission to suspend all activities relating to the lease and processing of public land transactions. The move was aimed at safeguarding state lands, restoring discipline in land administration, and ensuring value for money.
Over 8,000 Land Applications Reviewed
According to the Minister, the Committee examined 8,160 lease applications across all sixteen regions of Ghana. These included:
• 4,176 Direct Allocations
• 2,799 Regularizations
• 19 Allocations relating to State Bungalows
• 108 Land Swap or Public-Private Partnership arrangements
• 795 Subsequent Transactions
• 263 Fresh Allocations
The review uncovered significant procedural breaches in several applications, including non-compliance with the Lands Commission’s internal guidelines. The Minister noted that these lapses weakened transparency and exposed the system to potential abuse.
Uncompleted Transactions Cancelled
As part of corrective measures:
• All uncompleted transactions within the reviewed categories have been cancelled.
• Completed transactions will undergo a case-by-case review, and any allocation that failed to comply with due process will be revoked.
• Uncompleted regularization applications remain suspended pending procedural reforms.
For clarity, a transaction will be deemed completed only where a formal offer has been issued and accepted.
The Ministry and the Lands Commission will publish region-by-region lists of both completed and uncompleted applications, starting with Greater Accra, in the interest of transparency.
Key Reforms Introduced
- Standardized Public Land Application Form
The Ministry has revised the Public Land Application Form (Form 5) to eliminate inconsistencies across regional offices. The updated form will serve as the mandatory national template for all public land applications and will soon be accessible online for electronic submission.
- Stricter Internal Controls at the Lands Commission
The Ministry has overhauled internal procedures governing public land allocations. Under the new framework:
• Clear processing stages have been defined.
• Stronger compliance checks have been introduced.
• No public land allocation will proceed without prior written approval from the Minister.
- Legislative Backing for Reforms
The revised application process and internal controls will be incorporated into a draft Land Regulation to ensure legal sustainability and prevent a return to past irregularities.
- Increase in Public Land Premiums
One of the most significant changes relates to the pricing of public lands.
The Minister revealed that premiums previously ranged from 1% to 30% of market value — a system that significantly undervalued state lands.
Under the new framework:
• A minimum of 70% of assessed market value will be paid upfront as premium.
• The remaining 30% will be spread across the lease period as ground rent.
State institutions have also been reminded that allocations grant only user rights and cannot be further transacted without ministerial approval, in accordance with the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036).
- Publication of Market Value Data
To enhance transparency, the Ministry and Lands Commission will compile and publish reliable market value data for defined land clusters nationwide. This will promote fair pricing and reduce arbitrary valuations.
- Public Land Protection Task Force Established
A Public Land Protection Task Force will be formed to prevent encroachment and unauthorized development during the reform transition.
The Task Force will comprise representatives from:
• The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources
• The Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources
• The Lands Commission
• The Ghana Police Service and other security agencies
• Selected private sector technical experts
Ban on Lands Commission Services Lifted
The Minister clarified that the temporary suspension placed on Lands Commission services has now been lifted. However, all transactions will proceed strictly under the new reforms to ensure transparency, accountability, and value for money.
Commitment to Digitalisation and Land Bank Project
In a further boost to reform efforts, the Ministry has secured 100% retention of the Lands Commission’s Internally Generated Funds, with 67% earmarked for a Land Bank and Digitalisation Project.
The Minister emphasized that public lands are held in trust for the people of Ghana and must serve national development objectives.
“It is our solemn responsibility to safeguard these lands from mismanagement, misuse and unauthorized disposals,” he stated.The reforms, government officials say, are designed to restore public confidence and ensure that Ghana’s public lands are managed responsibly for present and future generations.
