Efforts to address persistent land ownership disputes and registration delays took centre stage as the Parliamentary Select Committee on Lands and Natural Resources toured the Lands Commission headquarters in Accra, with lawmakers backing ongoing reforms aimed at strengthening land administration and curbing illegal land ownership and encroachment.
The Committee, led by Chairman Collins Dauda, visited the Commission to assess its operations, achievements, and operational challenges, with particular focus on digitalisation, decentralisation of services, and measures to improve land registration processes and reduce delays.
Chairman of the National Lands Commission, Dr. Wordsworth Odame-Larbi, said the engagement offered an opportunity for Management to brief Parliament on progress made by the institution and areas requiring legislative support to improve service delivery.
Presenting the Commission’s first-quarter activities for 2026, Executive Secretary Prof. Anthony Owusu-Ansah highlighted ongoing reforms, including the automation of land services, the operationalisation of Continuous Operating Reference Stations (CORS), the introduction of QR-coded site plans, and upgrades to ground rent management systems.
According to him, plans were “far advanced” to decentralise Lands Commission services to district levels while expanding the Ghana Enterprise Land Information System nationwide to improve accessibility, efficiency, and transparency in land administration.
He noted that resolving challenges within the land administration system could strengthen efforts to tackle illegal land ownership, reduce encroachment, and improve confidence in property registration processes across the country.
Owusu-Ansah also raised concerns over “low staff remuneration” and inadequate operational funding, warning that the constraints continue to affect service delivery and institutional capacity. He appealed for parliamentary support to improve staff welfare and strengthen the Commission’s operational effectiveness.
Collins Dauda commended Management for what he described as a comprehensive presentation and acknowledged the strategic importance of the Lands Commission to Ghana’s socio-economic development.
He stressed that the work of the Commission could “make or unmake the country,” particularly in relation to land ownership, investment security, and urban development, and urged Management to intensify efforts to minimise disputes associated with land registration and ownership documentation.
