Dr. Gad Asorwoe Akwensivie, a land expert, says the National Democratic Congress’s (NDC’s) 24-hour economy proposal will have an impact on land administration, particularly on land service delivery by the public sector agencies.
He said currently, there is a huge backlog of land registration applications at the Lands Commission, resulting in the long turn-around time for completing land registrations.
He said the 24-hour economy will enable the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands and the Lands Commission to clear the backlog of applications at the Survey & Mapping, the Public & Vested Land Management, the Valuation, and the Land Registration Divisions of the Commission.
He said some applications for searches and title registrations have taken more than a year to complete and that incorporating a shift system into the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands, and the Lands Commission will not only help clear the backlog, but help to shorten the turn-around time for service delivery, and thereby enable the public sector to serve clients better.
“People will not have to use ‘goro-boys’ anymore because if you submit your indenture to the Customer Service and Access Unit (CSAU) and you are sure to get quick service, why will you use “goro-boys,” he said.
He said if the back offices worked at night, it should be possible for some light documents and non-inspection cases to be completed within a 24-hour cycle.
Dr Akwensivie, who is also a legal practitioner, said this will lead to an improvement of Ghana’s ranking on indices such as The World Bank’s Doing Business Report, which is published periodically. He said it would also help improve the country’s competitiveness in attracting Foreign Direct Investment.
The land expert said the Lands Commission in particular played a crucial role in the nation’s development due to the nature of the services it rendered such as application for lease on State land and title and deeds registration.
Dr. Akwensivie said banks will also benefit from a 24-hour economy, where financial institutions will be able to advance loans quickly because loan applicants will not have to wait for one or two months to complete a certificate of search report.
“Estate developers and professionals in the built environment such as architects, surveyors, valuers, civil engineers, quantity surveyors, and lawyers, who rely on the services of these public sector agencies can expect to render more efficient services to their clients,” he said.
Dr. Akwensivie argued that the 24-hour economy will help to improve the efficiency of the judiciary because when land administration is improved, conflicts resulting from indeterminate boundaries, and ownership among others will be reduced which in turn will cut the frequency of land-related litigation.
He cited lessons from developed countries implementing the 24-hour economy and concluded that a 24-hour economy strategy of 3 shifts, 3 employees, and 1 job will be a game changer.
