Ghana: Lands Commission to regulate land acquisitions by investors

Medium_196792871_935276
USAID is helping Ghana introduce guidelines for large-scale land transactions and address the dip in foreign direct investment that has arisen due to controversial land deals
Ghana Web | 28 May 2016

Lands Commission to regulate land acquisitions by investors

The Lands Commission is set to introduce guidelines for large-scale land transactions in the country.

The guidelines are expected to help investors to have access to secure lands while the land owners get value for money.

According to the Commission, the increased number of controversies that have surrounded the acquisition of lands in the country, have also led to a dip in Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

This it also believes has largely been as a result of the numerous court cases associated with land acquisitions where real owners of lands are to be determined. Speaking to Citi Business News on the new directive, the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Dr. Wilfred Kwabena Anim-Odame said the guidelines will ensure transparency in land transactions.

“We have a very focused agenda; which is to make sure that all investors in this country have access to very good secured lands as well as lands that can be suitable for the purposes of their investments,” “At the same time we also want to protect the interest of the owners of the lands so that investors will not come and take undue advantage of the local owners of the lands which will end up making the community landless,” he explained.

Dr. Anim-Odame was speaking at a one-day validation workshop on guidelines for large-scale land transactions. The workshop gave the stakeholders in the sector an opportunity to discuss and contribute on policy guidelines for acquiring large plots of lands in Ghana.

“Sustainability in terms of economic, social and environmental are all put in place. At the same time we are aware that we need to provide secure lands which will promote investments into the country. Hence the need to have consultations with all stakeholders before the guidelines is finally implemented,” Dr. Anim-Odame stated.

According to the Land Commission lands transactions above or below 50 acres may trigger social, economic and environmental concerns that need to be safeguarded.

The guidelines are therefore an intervention which is part of the government’s overall effort to regulate land acquisition in Ghana and improve land security, as well as tenure arrangements for increased private sector investments. During the workshop, Walter Nunez-Rodriguez, the Chief of Party of the APSP remarked,

“We deem it appropriate to partner with the Government of Ghana to see this project through because it promotes better land use, private investments in agriculture endeavors and ensures that all acquisitions are made to conform to the land use plan of the areas involved.”

The workshop was attended by representatives of the Medium Term Agriculture Sector Investment Plan (METASIP) Steering Committee, ministries, departments and agencies, civil society organizations, non-governmental organizations, women’s advocacy groups, traditional rulers and private sector investors in agriculture.

The project is being funded by USAID, the Feed the Future Ghana Agriculture Policy Support Project (APSP) in collaboration with the Lands Commission.

Source: citifmonline.com

--

Ghana Web | 26 May 2016

Investors assured of secure lands for projects

Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Dr. Wilfred Anim-Odame, has reiterated government’s commitment to providing investors with secure lands in order to increase private sector investments in the agriculture sector.

Over the years, investors have raised concerns about difficulties in acquiring large-scale lands for their projects.

It is for this reason that the USAID/Ghana Feed the Future (FtF) Agriculture Policy Support Project (APSP) and the government of Ghana, through the Lands Commission, have organised a one-day validation workshop in Accra that seeks stakeholder inputs into a draft land policy.

The document, titled ‘Guidelines for Large-Scale Land Transactions in Ghana’, seeks to improve land acquisition processes, land security and tenure arrangements in the country for investors.

“We are very keen on stimulating and promoting investments, because investment in any form will have to manifest in land,” Mr. Anim-Odame told the B&FT.

“Our agenda is to make sure all investors in this country have access to secure land that is suitable for investments purposes,” he added.

The policy document under review seeks to address certain lapses involved in the acquisition of large tracts of lands primarily for various agriculture ventures. Among other specific issues it seeks to: promote transparency in land transactions; frown on land speculation; and to yield sustainability in terms of economic, social and environmental benefits.

The document, if implemented, will also ensure that land owners and managers perform their fiduciary responsibilities.

Mr. Anim-Odame indicated in an interview with the B&FT that the Commission is burdened with a market interplay between the fixed nature of lands and increasing demand for same for various uses. Hence, the need to urgently put in place a regulatory framework to address the issue.

He further maintained that while the Commission strives to promote investments, it is also committed to protecting the interests of indigenous land owners and local communities where lands are being acquired.

“As we push for more investors, we also want to protect the interest of land owners, so that investors will not come and take undue advantage of the communities and end up making them landless,” he assured.

Speaking at the stakeholder meeting, Chief of Party-USAID/APSP, Walter Nunez-Rodriguez expressed the oranisation’s dedication to help strengthen the development and implementation of agricultural policies.

“What we understand from our dealings and conversations with the private sector is that land access entails a process - which is sometimes bureaucratic or lacks guidelines, and so when the Lands Commission contacted us for the collaboration we came on board excited at contributing to a change process,” Mr. Nunez-Rodriguez said.

“One of the purposes of the APSP project is improving the business-enabling environment to increase private sector investments, and in doing so it is important to develop guidelines to strengthen land policies and improve on the processes for acquiring and developing land tenure in the country,” he added.

The Agriculture Policy Support Project (APSP) is a 5-year USAID-funded project with the goal to improve the food security enabling environment for private sector investment. The aim is of increasing the capacity of Ghana’s government, the private sector, and civil society organisations to implement evidence-based policy formation and implementation; and perform rigorous monitoring and evaluation of agriculture programmes implemented under the Medium Term Agriculture Sector Investment Plan (METASIP).

Source: B&FT

  • Sign the petition to stop Industria Chiquibul's violence against communities in Guatemala!
  • Who's involved?

    Whos Involved?


  • 13 May 2024 - Washington DC
    World Bank Land Conference 2024
  • Languages



    Special content



    Archives


    Latest posts