Workshop to solicit chiefs’ views on land issues held in Kumasi
A two-day consultative workshop for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to solicit for views from chiefs on land issues and incorporate some of them into a proposed land bill has been held for the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi.
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The workshop was part of a series of engagements the ministry was having with major stakeholders regarding a draft land bill that was being prepared.
The event rounded up three zonal workshops and three focus group discussions with identifiable bodies.
Addressing the opening session the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Ms Barbara Serwaa Asamoah, said the policy would have to be made stronger into an up-to-date legal framework that would take into account modern methods of surveying, land administration and conveyancing.
She said when that was done, it would help to define the interface between land management in the charge of the state and that of the customary sector better.
Beyond that, she said, the meeting with the chiefs was to provide an opportunity for extensive public consultation on the lands bill in order to foster broad acceptance of both legislative and institutional reforms.
Areas to be addressed
The chiefs were specifically required to make inputs regarding the new provisions in the bill which proposes penalties for both public officials and citizens to serve as a deterrent to stem malfeasance in the land administration sector.
Another area of interest is the portion of the bill which states that where the holder of an interest in land in a registration district has not put in an application for registration after the expiration of the period within which an application should be made, the land registrar shall record the republic as the holder of the interest in trust for the eventual holder of the interest.
Royalties
The Akyem Bosomehene, Okotwasua Kantamanto Oware Agyekum II, urged the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to address the issue of royalties and factor it appropriately into the final draft bill to make it beneficial to chiefs.
He said the bill should make room for tokens chiefs received in the sale of lands in their traditional areas.
The bill was drafted by a committee of experts led by Nana Krobea Asante, who also happens to be a member of the august House.
The ministry has already solicited views from the Northern and Brong Ahafo Regional Houses of Chiefs over the review of the drafted Bill.
In an interview with Daily Graphic, Ms Asamoah said the bill would be ready by August this year.