The Lands Commission has urged prospective land buyers to conduct thorough due diligence before purchasing property to avoid falling victim to fraud and disputes over ownership.
The Commission warned that some individuals unlawfully sell state-owned and vested lands to unsuspecting buyers, exposing them to financial losses and potentially lengthy legal battles.
Speaking on Accra-based Citi FM, the Deputy Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission in charge of Operations, Surveyor Raphael Hokey, stressed the need for buyers to verify the ownership and legal status of land before making payments or entering into purchase agreements.
He said prospective buyers must conduct searches at the Lands Commission, physically inspect the property and engage relevant stakeholders to establish who owns the land.
According to him, failure to undertake these checks could result in buyers dealing with individuals who have no legal authority to sell the property, particularly where the land belongs to the state or has been vested in it.
“Even before you buy a land, make sure you do the due diligence. I cannot overemphasise that word enough. What does the due diligence entail? Make sure you conduct a search at the Lands Commission, make sure you go to the land, and make sure you engage people thoroughly to make sure that it is not state land,” he said.
Mr Hokey further explained that conducting searches was necessary even when buyers suspected the property might be state-owned, as the results could reveal whether they were dealing with the rightful authorities.
“Even if it is state land, still come and conduct the search because some people, by coming to conduct the search, realised that it was either state land or vested land, and then they were dealing with the wrong persons because if you go and buy a state land that turns out to be state land, you are in trouble,” he added.
His comments highlight the importance of verifying land ownership and ensuring that sellers have the legal authority to transfer property before completing a transaction.
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