James E.K. Dadson, the interim Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, has recommended potential property purchasers to complete necessary due diligence procedures before purchasing land.
"Before making any decision for the acquisition of any property, you must do ground validation checks, hire a professional to develop the site plan, and conduct a search at the Lands Commission to determine the genuine ownership and eventual status of the land," he added.
Mr Dadson said such inspections were vital to limit the occurrence of land litigation in the nation while speaking at the Church of Pentecost's annual Royal Conference at the Pentecost Convention Centre in Gomoa Fetteh in the Central Region.
He stated that the commission was trying to guarantee that land registration concerns were addressed. in order to reduce the number of arbitrary land litigation lawsuits plaguing the country's legal system.
Mr Dadson stated that the commission had begun digitising its system by having its manual records scanned, georeferenced, and digitized in order to improve the pace with which it delivered services.
"The commission has also used digital innovations that have dramatically changed the face of land registration procedures," he said. "These digital innovations can be accessed and invariably registered on the commission's website for any land registration purposes, and requests made to the commission."
As a result, he promised the public that "expeditious fulfillment of land registration requests and extremely efficient land administration services" would be provided.
Mr Dadson, on the other hand, cited various land sales and multiple court judgments as key obstacles to the commission's work.
He did, however, assure that his organization was taking significant measures to address the ongoing issues with land registration and purchase.
Mr Dadson emphasized that the Properties Body's Act, 2008 (Act 767) empowered the commission to administer all public lands vested in the President, as well as to assist the government, local governments, and traditional authorities on policy framework.
He stated that Section 10 of the Act prohibited non-citizens from acquiring land, emphasizing that non-citizens could not be awarded freehold of land.
"Freehold provided before 1969 is now 50 years to non-Ghanaians beginning August 22, 1969," he added, adding that freehold reversion was vested in the government and that leasehold interest for non-Ghanaians should not exceed 50 years.
He praised the Church of Pentecost for providing the Lands Commission with such a platform to educate over 2,000 of its members.
Mr. Dadson then gave the church 50 copies of the Lands Commission Act, 2008 (Act 767) that he had given.
Response
The purpose of the conference, according to the church's General Secretary, Apostle Alexander Nana Yaw Kumi Larbi, was to mobilize chiefs, queen mothers, and family leaders by equipping them with the word of God and providing instruction on land concerns and chieftaincy-related matters.
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