Lands Commission Withholds Government Land Data from Parliamentary Committee- says Chairman

The Government Assurances Committee of Parliament has criticized the Lands Commission for failing to provide data on public lands and their usage over the years.

The Committee insists this data is essential for addressing fraudulent activities, such as the registration of government lands as private properties.

At a sitting on Wednesday, July 31, Chairman Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa expressed frustration over the two-year struggle to obtain these documents from the Lands Commission.

“If this data is compiled and provided, it will benefit all of us. Instances of government lands being registered as private lands and ongoing fraud at the Lands Commission, as revealed by the Soul Enquirer, can only be addressed by having this data. It is clear to me that there are elements within the Lands Commission who do not want the Ghanaian people to have this information,” Ablakwa stated.

Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, offered some explanation for the delay.

He noted that the Lands Commission has historically operated manually and is only now beginning to digitize its records.

“The task of compiling this list from the 16 regions of the Lands Commission across the country, dating back to 1993, is enormous. This is why they have not yet been able to complete it. However, work is in progress,” Jinapor explained.