Accra: Mrs. Gifty Nyarko, the National President of the Local Government Service Association of Physical Planners (LoGSAPP), has called for the rigorous enforcement of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Act 2016 (Act 925). She emphasized that the enforcement of section 97(3) of the Act is crucial for addressing haphazard physical development and controlling recurring flooding in the country.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mrs. Nyarko explained that Section 97(3) of Act 925 mandates that an application for the registration of title to land must be accompanied by a Land Use Certificate, which serves as a statutory planning document. This certificate confirms the approved land use of a parcel of land in line with the applicable Structure Plan and Local Plan. Mrs. Nyarko, who also heads the Physical Planning Department for the Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly, highlighted that the requirement ensures that land registration supports orderly spatial planning and sustainable development.
Mrs. Nyarko, also the Executive Director of the African Centre for Urban Resilience Planning and Inclusive Governance (ACURPIG), stressed the importance of enforcing the Act in light of frequent flooding. She urged the Lands Commission to adhere strictly to the law, ensuring no application for land title registration is processed without a valid Land Use Certificate.
She further stated that the enforcement of the Act would significantly reduce the registration of lands unlawfully allocated within sensitive environmental areas such as wetlands, waterways, floodplains, public open spaces, road reservations, and utility corridors. Mrs. Nyarko highlighted that prospective land purchasers often focus only on ownership verification at the Lands Commission, neglecting the crucial requirement of planning conformity at the District Assembly.
Ownership and land-use planning are distinct legal matters, she noted, emphasizing that it is the responsibility of the Lands Commission to facilitate land registration and title administration. Meanwhile, Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) bear the responsibility of determining land conformity to approved local plans and intended land use purposes.
In conclusion, Mrs. Nyarko urged the MMDAs to ensure that development permits are issued in compliance with the Act, reinforcing the need for a coordinated approach between land ownership verification and spatial planning.