A nine-member standing committee has been inaugurated by the Lands Commission to draft policy guidelines for the acquisition and allocation of public lands.
Mr Kofi Dankwa Osei, the Chairman of the Eastern Regional Lands Commission, who chairs the committee, would, among other things, seek to clearly define the thresholds for dealing with public land matters amicably.
It could also make any other recommendations in line with the existing legislations to give effect to client satisfaction.
The Committee has a month to deliver its mandate, starting from the date of the inauguration.
Mr Alex Quaynor, the Chairman of the Lands Commission, inaugurated the committee at a brief ceremony in Accra.
The members include Mrs Cynthia Odametey, Secretary, Alhaji Sulemana Mahama, Mrs Mabel H. Yemidi, Mr Oduro Kwarteng, Alhaji Habib Alhassan, Mr Jonathan S. Lari, Mr Emmanuel Okyere, and Alhaji Abdul Hanan, all of who have experience in land administration issues.
Article 258 of the 1992 Constitution and the Lands Commission Act, 2008 (Act 767), mandate the Lands Commission to manage all public and vested lands across the country.
Per the same legislations, the Commission is mandated to formulate and submit to government recommendations on national policy with respect to land use and capability.
Subsequently, this mandate has been accentuated by the new Land Act, 2020 ( Act 1036 ).
Mr Quaynor said the Lands Commission managed a substantial number of Public Lands across the country, however, the existing guidelines for regulating the acquisition, allocation, or release of those lands require review to cater for contemporary land management and administration matters.
In view of the above, the Standing Committee would consider the development of policies on three activities for implementation, which are to develop policy guidelines for the acquisition, allocation, and release of public lands.
Mr James Dadson, the Executive Secretary of the Commission, urged the Committee to work assiduously to achieve the set objectives.
The members of committee, he said, were carefully selected based on their vast and rich experiences in Land administration in the country.
Some dignitaries that attended the inauguration were Mr Jones Ofori-Boadu, Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Corporate Services, Mr Benjamin Arthur, Deputy Executive Secretary, in charge of Operations, and Mr Abdullah Abubakar, Director for Survey and Mapping Divison, Lands Commission.
