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Enhance substandard living conditions for impoverished citizens with affordable, high-quality accommodations

Gathered factions at the 2023 National Land Conference reached agreements on a variety of matters, including resolutions.

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Groups convened at this year's National Land Meeting reached agreements on various matters,...
Groups convened at this year's National Land Meeting reached agreements on various matters, including some key decisions.

Enhance substandard living conditions for impoverished citizens with affordable, high-quality accommodations

In the just-concluded National Land Conference, stakeholders called on the government to sharpen its focus on enhancing housing for the underprivileged while addressing Ghana's persistent housing deficit. Participants, consisting of scholars, civil society members, traditional leaders, land professionals, and government officials, all agreed to set up a monitoring platform post-conference.

This platform, encompassing a multitude of crucial land and natural resource sector stakeholders, will oversee the implementation of the conference's suggestions and the land sector's broader transformation agenda. It will also extend support to the government in executing provisions specified in the Land Act and Land Use and Spatial Planning Act, thereby ameliorating the land sector's functionality.

The communique issued following the four-day event in Accra revealed concerns about the National Land Policy of Ghana, which was launched in 1999. The policy has played a significant role in land sector reforms but now fails to keep pace with the challenges arising daily. Key issues highlighted include:

  1. Weak enforcement of laws regarding spatial planning and land development.
  2. Inadequate collaboration among government agencies.
  3. Poorly-funded public and customary land sector bodies.

As a result, haphazard and uncoordinated spatial development has proliferated, accompanied by unresolved land disputes.

Various recommendations were forthcoming, including the systematic surveying and mapping of customary and state land boundaries, as well as those demarcating metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies. This endeavor is expected to help reduce the country's land ownership disputes and streamline the registration of land titles as mandated by the 1992 constitution and the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036).

The conference also urged the government to strategize the comprehensive mapping of Ghana across large, medium, and small scales to facilitate proficient land use planning and spatial development for quick economic growth. Providing resources for an integrative and participatory approach to land use planning was another recommendation.

Stakeholders also suggested fostering seamless collaboration between landowners and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to induce increased funding for spatial planning and development from internally generated MMDA funds.

Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Benito Owusu-Bio, stated at the conference's closing ceremony that the conference's report will aid the ministry in its endeavor to promote transparency and efficiency in land administration. He expressed the intention to establish a multi-stakeholder platform to track the implementation of the conference's guidelines.

According to National Chairman of the Lands Commission Alex Quaynor, all data compiled from the conference's deliberations will be utilized to critically review the 1999 land policy, with the goal of formulating concrete plans for implementation. The National Land Conference was coordinated by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, in partnership with the Lands Commission, Department of Land Economy of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and civil society organization Colandef.

For optimal results in resolving housing constraints for the impoverished and streamlining Ghana's land sector, consider the following recommendations:

Recommendations for Systematic Surveying and Mapping:

  1. Decentralization of Land Services: The Lands Minister's recent instruction to decentralize the Lands Commission's operations within two months could bring about improvements in accessibility and efficiency in land services nationwide.
  2. Embrace Digital Mapping Technologies: Adopting advanced digital mapping technologies can yield accurate and comprehensive land maps, thereby addressing ownership disputes effectively and optimizing land use.
  3. Community Involvement: Encourage community engagement in the surveying and mapping processes to ensure their needs are met and build trust in land administration.

Recommendations for Land Ownership Dispute Resolution:

  1. Proactive Dispute Resolution Mechanisms: Introduce proactive dispute resolution mechanisms like mediation and arbitration services to settle land disputes speedily and minimize bureaucratic hurdles.
  2. Collaborate with Traditional Leaders: Partnering with traditional leaders and other stakeholders to settle historical land disputes can result in culturally sensitive and effective resolutions.
  3. Transparency and Accountability: Strive for transparency and accountability in all land transactions by keeping clear records and fostering trust.

Recommendations for Improving Housing for the Poor:

  1. Affordable Housing Initiatives: Introduce affordable housing initiatives, for example, subsidies and easy financing options, for low-income families to gain access to affordable housing.
  2. Community-led Housing: Support community-led housing projects, ensuring they align with local needs and priorities, to ensure the provision of suitable housing solutions.
  3. Improve Legal Frameworks: Strengthen legal frameworks to safeguard low-income families' rights to secure and affordable housing while promoting equitable access.
  4. The stakeholders at the National Land Conference emphasized the need for a more focused government policy on enhancing housing for underprivileged Ghanaians while addressing the country's ongoing housing deficit.
  5. Post-conference, a monitoring platform will be established, enlisting various land and natural resource sector stakeholders to oversee the implementation of conference suggestions and broader land sector transformation.
  6. The communique issued following the National Land Conference revealed concerns about Ghana's National Land Policy, which is failing to keep pace with emerging challenges in the land sector.
  7. Key issues highlighted in the communique include weak enforcement of laws regarding spatial planning and land development, inadequate collaboration among government agencies, and poorly-funded public and customary land sector bodies.
  8. The conference recommended systematic surveying and mapping of customary and state land boundaries, as well as the mapping of Ghana across large, medium, and small scales to facilitate efficient land use planning.
  9. Participants stressed the importance of fostering collaboration between landowners and Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies to encourage increased funding for spatial planning and development.

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