The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, who also doubles as the Member of Parliament for Bole Bamboi, Sulemana Yusif, has inaugurated a 21-member board of the Volta Regional Lands Commission.
Mr. Yusif charged the board to uphold transparency, promote grassroots engagement, and ensure stakeholder collaboration in the region’s land administration.
Speaking at the ceremony, he underscored the strategic significance of the board—comprising representatives from traditional authorities, civil society, professional bodies, and district assemblies—as essential to inclusive governance in land matters.
“This is one of the most important boards because it brings together all the key players. Nobody has been left out.
And this should tell you that you have a critical role to play—not for personal interests, but to represent the people and serve the national interest,” he stated.
He tasked the board to serve as facilitators for investment by streamlining land registration processes and protecting Ghana’s natural resources.
Emphasizing the pivotal role of land in national development, the Minister said:
“You cannot do anything meaningful without land, including the government’s 24-hour economy.
That is why you must support government projects that require land and guard against those who come to exploit our resources.”
The Deputy Minister urged the board to move away from the “business as usual” approach. He advocated proactive public education, particularly through community radio, to demystify the land registration process.
“I shouldn’t travel from Ketu South to Ho to register land, only to be told I should’ve brought my Ghana Card.
If people are properly informed, they’ll come prepared,” he said, stressing the need to take information to the people rather than waiting passively behind desks.
He further proposed decentralizing documentation collection, suggesting that trained land officers at the district level could gather and forward applications to reduce costs and improve efficiency.
Mr. Yusif disclosed that the government is currently engaging stakeholders and potential investors to secure the estimated $165 million required to modernize Ghana’s land administration system.
He concluded by congratulating the newly appointed board members and officially declaring the Volta Regional Lands Commission Board duly inaugurated.
Awity Warns Against Conflict of Interest
Representing the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, the Volta Regional Coordinating Director, Augustus Awity, cautioned the newly inaugurated board members to avoid conflict of interest in their operations.
Mr. Awity emphasized the need for integrity, transparency, and fairness, urging members to recuse themselves from cases involving communities or issues with which they have personal ties.
“Let’s avoid conflict of interest,” he stated firmly. “If you come from a community that is involved in a land dispute and you know you are directly or indirectly connected, kindly recuse yourself. Otherwise, any decision or role you play may be questioned and pinned to you.”
He further encouraged collaboration with all stakeholders—including traditional leaders, community members, and government agencies—to ensure land issues are handled in a way that fosters peace and development in the region.
Board Chair Vows Support for Government Agenda
The newly elected board chairman, Lawyer Divine Fiakpui-Dzahini, in his acceptance speech, pledged the board’s commitment to supporting the government’s agenda for effective land governance.
“We want to assure the government that we will work hard to reduce land disputes in the region and decentralize the registration process to make land registration faster and more efficient.”
He expressed gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama and the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources for the confidence reposed in them and promised to deliver on their mandate.