The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has commenced a procurement process for the national digitalisation of all public lands.
The reforms, which are also aimed at improving transparency, efficiency, and accountability in the management of public lands, would ensure the publication of names of all those who have acquired public lands between 2017 and 2024.
The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Yusif Sulemana, disclosed this at a press conference in Accra yesterday to update the public on the implementation of recommendations by the committee set up to review the sale and allocation of public lands and approved by the cabinet.
According to him, the digitalisation initiative would modernise land administration processes, reduce human interference, and enhance the integrity of land records and transactions across the country.
Mr. Sulemana explained that to support the implementation of the project, the ministry had secured approval for 100 per cent retention of internally generated funds (IGF) by the Lands Commission. Out of this amount, he underlined, 67 per cent had been earmarked specifically to fund the national digitalisation project.
He indicated that the funds would be ring-fenced and deposited into an escrow account to ensure that adequate financial resources were available for the implementation of the project.
“The problem has always been funding. Government alone may not be able to raise the huge amount required for this important exercise, so the minister engaged the Minister of Finance and Cabinet to agree that part of the IGF generated by the Lands Commission should be saved and used for the digitalisation project,” he elaborated.
Mr. Sulemana said the reforms formed part of broader efforts by government to restore integrity, discipline, and public confidence in the administration of public lands in the country.
He noted that the ministry, working closely with the Lands Commission, had already begun implementing several reforms approved by Cabinet following the review of public land allocations.
One of the key reforms, he mentioned, was the revision of the Public Land Application Form, popularly known as Form Five.
The revised form, Sulemana expatiated, would now serve as the single mandatory application document for all public land transactions in the country, including new applications and re-applications arising from the recent review exercise.
The form, he added, would be published on the Lands Commission’s official website to enable applicants to download, complete, and submit it electronically.
The Deputy Minister also announced that the ministry had reviewed internal procedures governing the allocation of public lands to strengthen verification processes and improve transparency and accountability in decision-making.
Under the revised framework, he underlined that no public land would be allocated without the prior approval of the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.
In addition, he said the ministry had compiled standardised market values for lands in various estates across the country to eliminate inconsistencies in land valuation and ensure value for money in public land allocations.
He further revealed that a new premium framework had been introduced, requiring applicants for public land leases to pay a minimum of 70 per cent of the assessed market value upfront, with the remaining 30 per cent spread over the tenure of the lease as ground rent.
BY KINGSLEY ASARE
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