Protect Nation's Lands To Ensure Development – Dep. Minister

Madam Barbara Oteng Gyasi, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has said ensuring the judicious use of land and its development is in conformity with the nation’s development goals.

She said land administration and management over the years had been bedeviled with numerous challenges which has resulted in conflicts among communities and ethnic groups with their attendant social upheavals.

These unfortunate incidents according to the Deputy Minister constituted an affront to growth and development of any nation including Ghana and called for integrity to ensure sanity in the land administration regime.

Madam Gyasi was speaking at the inauguration of the Western Regional Lands Commission Board Members as mandated by the Lands Commission Act 767 which require the appointment of competent individuals to ensure effective land management.

The Commission had been charged by the Ministry to among others resolve issues around the sale of large tracts of lands for speculative purposes, conversion of stool lands to family lands, to speed up the numerous court cases on land litigation and the encroachment and acquisition of public use areas.

They were sworn into office by Justice Edward Amoako Asante, a Supervising High Court Judge.

The Deputy Minister also employed the members to work on the turnaround time of processing lands title documents, increase cash flows to government and fight corruption and malfeasance on the part of staff.

Mrs Gifty Eugenia Kusi, the Deputy Regional Minister, said there is the need to protect the material assets of the country for the sake of future generation which is the basic rule of sustainability.

She said this basic rule places a huge responsibility on Ghanaians and land owners to put in place frameworks and mechanisms which would prevent land disputes, multiples sale of lands, indiscriminate development, land racketeering and also safeguard the interest of generations yet unborn.

Mrs Kusi said the Region was confronted with land disputes, issues of galamsey, activities of quack surveyors and annexation of coast lands and development of special areas.

She urged the members to be selfless in their service to mother Ghana.

Dr Isaac Kofi Sagoe, the Chairman of the Western Regional Lands Commission, said land is a critical resource and major factor for production and pledged on behalf of the members to work hard to ensure the realization of the objectives of the Land Commission.

“We wish to state that we will never disgrace our nation and all those who put us in such honourable positions of trust”, he said.