Accra: Dr Gad Asorwoe Akwensivie, Administrator of Stool Lands, has highlighted the role of Customary Land Secretariats (CLSs) in promoting organized, transparent, and sustainable land management across the country. The initiative was the focal point of a stakeholder sensitization workshop held in Accra, which gathered traditional authorities to deliberate the future of CLSs.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Akwensivie emphasized that the Secretariat would act as a mediator between traditional authorities, land users, and statutory land sector institutions. He stated, 'Through CLSs, customary landowners are supported to maintain proper records of land transactions, improve documentation, reduce boundary disputes, enhance accountability and promote orderly development.' The workshop was themed 'Towards Improved Customary Land Administration for Stools, Families and Clans.'
Ghana's Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), forms the legal backbone for improving land governance, strengthening customary land management, and ensuring accountability among landholding entities. One of the notable innovations under the Act is the acknowledgment and promotion of CLSs to assist stools, families, and clans in effective land administration.
Dr Akwensivie underscored the importance of land as one of Ghana's most valuable assets, calling for transparent and accountable administration to tackle issues like multiple land sales, inadequate documentation, boundary disputes, and encroachment. He noted, 'CLSs provide an opportunity for stools, families, and clans to safeguard their interests while promoting confidence and certainty among investors, developers, and communities.'
The Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands (OASL), headed by Dr Akwensivie, has set strategic objectives to expand and bolster CLSs nationwide. 'We are working closely with traditional authorities, the Lands Commission, and other stakeholders to provide the necessary technical support, training, and guidance to ensure that these secretariats operate effectively,' he added.
Mr Raphael Hokey, Deputy Executive Secretary responsible for operations at the Lands Commission, urged chiefs to establish systems for the effective renewal of leases without disputes. He pointed out, 'You cannot grant a lease to a foreigner for more than 50 years, and cannot also grant a lease to a child below 18 years.' He encouraged traditional authorities and customary landholding groups to adopt the CLS concept and collaborate with OASL and the Lands Commission to establish and strengthen these structures.