By Prince Acquah
Cape Coast, May 14, GNA – Mr Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah, the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, has inaugurated a 25-member board for the Commission in the Central Region to curb encroachments on public lands including wetlands and heritage sites.
He also directed them to act diligently to enforce lawful ownership of lands to reduce disputes and deter land guard activities which were rife in areas like Kasoa and Winneba.
As a beacon of culture, tourism and agriculture, the Minister observed with concern that encroachment, rapid urbanisation, unrestricted development, litigations among other activities were threatening the potential of the Central Region.
“Cape Coast, Elmina and other historic towns face mounting pressure from unplanned settlements, risking irreversible damage to our cultural and environmental heritage,” he said.
“The government is committed to resolving these issues, but we need the Commission’s proactive leadership and diligence to enforce lawful ownership and deter land guard activities,” he added.
The 25-member board is chaired by Mr Theophilus Adu Mensah, a former District Chief Executive for Gomoa West.
Among other responsibilities, the commissioners are mandated to manage public lands and any other lands vested in the President by the Constitution or by any other law on any lands vested in the Commission on behalf of government.
They also advise government, local authorities, and traditional authorities on the policy framework for the development of areas of the country to ensure that the development of individual pieces of land is coordinated with the relevant development plan for the areas concerned.
His Lordship John-Mark Nuku Alifo, a Cape Coast High Court Judge, swore the members into office at a brief ceremony in Cape Coast.
Mr Buah urged the new board to strictly enforce all relevant portions of the Lands Act 2020 to halt all forms of illegalities degrading arable lands and destroying the environment.
Reminding them of their mandate, the Minister entreated the commissioners to streamline the lands registration processes to ensure registrations were completed within 30 days.
He noted that investors in hospitality, infrastructure and agro-processing were prepared to leverage opportunities in the region, particularly in tourism and education.
Bureaucratic delays in land documentation, high transaction costs, and unreliable records, however, frustrated progress, stressing the need for the Commission prioritise unlocking the region’s potential.
The Minister also implored the Commission to expeditiously decentralise lands services to district offices for accessibility.
“What is the point in coming all the way to Cape Coast to access lands services? You must be remembered as the Board that really fast-tracked the decentralisation of land services in the districts in the region,” he urged them.
He further tasked them with the duty of resolving longstanding chieftaincy and family land disputes through mediation, protecting coastal zones and wetlands from illegal development, and checking corruption at the Lands Commission.
“The President’s reset agenda for job creation and industrialisation relies heavily on land. As the region positions itself as a destination for tourism and agro-industry, your role in providing secure, well-documented lands cannot be overstated,” he said.
Mr Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, the Central Regional Minister, who seemed unimpressed by the works of the Commission over the years, indicated that the office was creating more problems than they were resolving.
He, thus, called for a renewed commitment and dedication to service to ensure proper land governance.
He cautioned that the office must not been seen as an avenue to be rich, warning against all corrupt practices.
Mr Mensah, the Board Chair commended his predecessors for laying the foundations and pledged his resolve to build upon it with integrity and dedication to move the Commission forward.
“As I take this role, I pledge to listen, to learn, and to lead with transparency and purpose. I know that with your support, we can achieve great things together,” he said.
Justice Alifu warned that members who were absent for the swearing-in could not act until they were sworn, noting that it was a legal requirement.
GNA
AT /AD