By Felix Cofie
Cabinet has directed a comprehensive reform of the Public Land Application Form as part of broader measures to strengthen transparency, accountability and efficiency in the administration of public lands across the country.
The reforms are currently being implemented by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in collaboration with the Lands Commission following a directive aimed at restoring integrity and public confidence in the management of state lands.
Addressing the media, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, said the revised Public Land Application Form, popularly known as Form 5, will now serve as the single mandatory application instrument for all public land transactions nationwide.
According to him, the revised form will be used for both new applications and reapplications by individuals whose earlier submissions were cancelled during the recent review of public land applications.
To improve accessibility and efficiency, the Lands Commission has also been directed to publish the revised Form 5 on its official website, enabling applicants to download, complete and submit their applications electronically.
Dr. Sulemana explained that the reform forms part of a broader review of the Lands Commission’s internal procedures for allocating public lands. Under the new framework, the stages involved in processing applications have been clearly defined, with stronger verification mechanisms introduced to enhance transparency and traceability in decision-making.
He further disclosed that under the new system no public land will be allocated without the prior approval of the Minister, a measure intended to strengthen oversight and ensure that allocations align with national policy objectives.
As part of the reforms, the government has also introduced a new premium payment framework for public land leases. Under the policy, applicants will be required to pay at least 70 percent of the assigned market value of public land upfront, with the remaining 30 percent spread over the tenure of the lease as ground rent.
The Deputy Minister said the new framework will help improve revenue generation for the state while eliminating disparities that previously allowed individuals to pay significantly different premiums for similar parcels of land.
In addition, the Ministry and the Lands Commission have compiled standardised market values for several prime estates across the country, including more than 30 estates in the Greater Accra Region. These values will soon be published on the Lands Commission’s website to guide the assessment of land premiums and eliminate discretionary pricing.
Dr. Sulemana also announced that a Public Land Protection Taskforce will soon be inaugurated to prevent encroachment on state lands, halt unauthorised developments and prosecute offenders.
As part of the transparency drive, the list of over 8,000 public land applications reviewed during the recent exercise will soon be published on the websites of the Ministry and the Lands Commission, beginning with the Greater Accra Region.
He added that the temporary suspension placed on public land transactions has now been lifted, although all services will operate strictly under the new reform measures.
The Ministry has also initiated procurement processes for the national digitalisation of Ghana’s land administration system, largely funded through the internally generated funds of the Lands Commission. The initiative is expected to modernise land services and significantly reduce human interference in land transactions.
