President John Dramani Mahama has announced major reforms to overhaul Ghana’s land administration system, describing it as a “symbol of everything we seek to change” in the country.
Speaking at the inauguration of the reconstituted National Lands Commission on Tuesday, September 2, President Mahama said public trust in land governance has reached an all-time low. He pointed to “multiple sales, unending litigation, extortion, and violence” as some of the recurring challenges, especially in the Greater Accra Region.
“Successive years of mismanagement compounded by political interference and institutional decay have left our land governance system broken and vulnerable,” President Mahama stated. “Influential people holding public office have been at the center of this problem. That is why the system needs a complete reset.”
As part of this reset, government earlier placed a ban on all state land transactions to allow a comprehensive review of the process. The President explained that the suspension “yielded valuable insights into the weaknesses of our current system and the urgent reforms required.”
“Today, with the inauguration of the new Commission and the adoption of robust accountability measures, I am pleased to announce that the ban on land transactions has been lifted,” he declared.
He stressed, however, that the lifting of the ban “does not mark a return to business as usual” but rather “signals the beginning of a more disciplined and transparent era in land management.”
The President outlined four pillars guiding the reforms:
- Restoring public confidence through transparency, fairness, and justice.
- Reversing illegal land transactions by reclaiming encroached lands and protecting public assets.
- Digitising, modernising, and decentralising land services for access and efficiency.
- Harmonising customary and statutory land systems to promote equity and coherence.
He also directed the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Lands Commission to immediately conduct a comprehensive audit of all state lands allocated, leased, or sold between 2017 and 2024.
“We will take all necessary actions to correct the wrongs of the past,” President Mahama assured. “The reforms we are embarking on are not cosmetic; they are designed to restore dignity, fairness, and efficiency in land administration.”
Stakeholders at the ceremony welcomed the reforms. A member of the Lands Commission described the President’s directive as “timely and bold,” adding that “this is the kind of leadership needed to restore confidence in Ghana’s land sector.”
For many chiefs and landowners present, the commitment to harmonize customary and statutory systems was particularly significant. “Land disputes have torn families and communities apart,” one traditional leader said. “These reforms give us hope that the chaos will finally be addressed.”
The President reaffirmed that the new phase of land governance will focus on discipline, accountability, and justice for all citizens.
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Source: Deborah Kwapong/ATLFMNEWS
