The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor, has implored the members of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs to embrace the Lands Act, 2020 (Act 1036) for the effective and efficient administration of land in the country.
He said the new law has several innovative provisions that would promote sustainable land administration and management for effective and efficient land tenure.
Mr Jinapor made the call when he was speaking at a meeting of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs.
The minister engaged the members of the House on the Lands Act.
The engagement was at the invitation of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs to educate them on the provisions of the Act and to discuss matters pertaining to the lands and natural resources of the country.
The minister explained in detail the law to the members of the House, particularly on the provisions relating to the management and administration of stool lands.
He reminded the chiefs that they hold lands in trust for their subjects, and are, therefore, fiduciaries accountable to their people.
Under the Land Act, a breach of this fiduciary duty constitutes a criminal offence.
The minister highlighted the requirement for all stools, skins, families, and clans that own land to establish a customary land secretariat, and assured the chiefs that the Lands Commission and the Administrator of Stool Lands would work with them to ensure that the secretariats are established.
He also emphasised the provisions of the law that requires all allodial title holders to survey and demarcate their lands before disposing of them.
“This is necessary to prevent land and boundary disputes, and to ensure that the development of such lands are in accordance with the development plans of the community,” he added.
The chiefs raised other issues involving the management of forest reserves and the mineral resources, which the minister took time to explain to them regarding government’s policies in those areas.
The minister assured the chiefs that the ministry would work closely with them to ensure the efficient management of the country’s lands and natural resources.
The President of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs and the King of the Ashanti Kingdom, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who presided over the meeting, thanked the minister for taking time to engage the House on such an important matter of great concern to the traditional authorities.
He lauded the minister for his exemplary leadership and work at the ministry.
The Asantehene noted that since assumption of office, “Mr Abu Jinapor has discharged his duties with diligence, humility and integrity”, he called on him to continue on that same path.
On his part, the minister thanked the House for taking the law seriously and for the invitation to engage with the House on it.
He reiterated the commitment of the government to build an effective, transparent, responsive, and orderly land and stool land revenue administration, which is steeped in integrity and to work with all stakeholders to ensure the efficient utilisation of natural resources for the benefit of the people of Ghana.
GNA