The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has announced a series of reforms aimed at enhancing transparency, accountability, and value for money in the management of public lands across Ghana. The measures follow a comprehensive review of 8,160 lease applications executed or initiated between 2017 and 2024, covering direct allocations, regularizations, land swaps, and public-private partnership arrangements.
Addressing the media, Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah said the review revealed lapses that undermined “transparency, accountability, and public trust,” prompting decisive interventions. All uncompleted transactions have been cancelled, while completed allocations will undergo case-by-case review to ensure compliance with statutory and administrative procedures. Uncompleted regularization applications remain suspended pending the standardization of Lands Commission processes.
The Ministry has also revised the Public Land Application Form (Form 5), which will now serve as the “single mandatory application instrument” for all public land transactions nationwide. Applicants will be able to submit the form electronically once published on the Lands Commission website. In addition, internal processes for public land allocation have been strengthened to close procedural gaps and ensure that no land is allocated without the “prior written approval of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.”
The Ministry has introduced a new framework requiring a minimum of 70% of assessed market value to be paid upfront, with the remaining 30% structured as ground rent. This measure seeks to ensure that public lands deliver value for money to the State while discouraging undervaluation.
To further support informed decision-making, the Ministry will compile and publish reliable data on market values for defined land clusters, providing reference points for evaluating premiums and promoting consistency. Meanwhile, a Public Land Protection Task Force, comprising personnel from the Ministry, Lands Commission, Police Service, and selected private-sector experts, will safeguard public lands under review and prevent unauthorized developments.
Armah-Kofi Buah emphasized that the temporary suspension of all Lands Commission services, including leasing and regularization, has been lifted, with activities now resuming under the new reforms. He noted that public lands are vested in the President “in trust for the people of Ghana,” and underscored the Government’s commitment to ensuring that they are administered in the public interest.
The Ministry has retained 100% of the Lands Commission’s internally generated funds, with 67% earmarked for the Land Bank and Digitalisation Project. The initiative is expected to catalyze restoring public confidence, enhancing transparency, and ensuring that public lands are managed responsibly for current and future generations.
