The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon. Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, MP, has urged the newly constituted board of the Central Regional Lands Commission to uphold efficiency, transparency, and accountability as the cornerstone of land administration in the region.
Delivering a brief address during the board’s swearing-in ceremony on Monday, May 12, 2025, in Cape Coast, the Minister emphasized the Commission’s critical role in Ghana’s socio-economic development.
“Land remains the bedrock of our socio-economic development, and I am confident that your collective experience will advance the Government’s agenda for sustainable land management,” he stated.
The Central Region, renowned for its rich cultural heritage, tourism, and agriculture, faces challenges such as rapid urbanization, encroachment on public lands, and land ownership disputes. The Minister stressed the need for proactive leadership to address these issues and ensure lawful ownership.
“We need the Commission’s proactive leadership to enforce lawful ownership and curb land guard activities,” he emphasized. “Illegal mining and unauthorized sand-winning degrade arable land and pollute river bodies. I urge the Commission to rigorously enforce the Land Act”, he said.
To fulfill its mandate, Hon. Armah-Kofi Buah tasked the Commission with prioritizing the following key areas:
- Streamlining Land Registration: Achieving a 30-day processing target to facilitate efficient land transactions.
- Decentralizing Land Services: Expanding access to land services at district offices to reduce bureaucracy and enhance convenience.
- Resolving Land Disputes: Utilizing mediation to address longstanding chieftaincy and family land conflicts.
- Protecting Coastal Zones: Safeguarding wetlands and coastal areas from illegal development.
- Ensuring Staff Accountability: Upholding professionalism and accountability among staff.
The Minister commended the outgoing board for their service, acknowledging their contributions as a foundation for the new Commission. He expressed confidence that, with dedication and commitment, the Central Regional Lands Commission would unlock the region’s potential and bolster Ghana’s economic growth.
“Your role in providing secure, well-documented land cannot be overstated,” the Minister concluded.
Chairman of the newly inaugurated Board, Mr. Theophilus Aidoo -Mensah, thanked the outgoing leadership and pledged to build upon their legacy. He assured stakeholders of his commitment to working closely with members of the Commission to deliver on their mandate.
The 23-member Board comprises the following individuals:
- Theophilus Aidoo Mensah – Chairman
- Seth Boakye Owusu – Regional Lands Officer (Secretary)
- Okoamankra Kname Akonu X – Central Region House of Chiefs representative
- Paul Arkorful – Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) representative
- Eric Mensah – Abura-Asebu-Kwamankese (A.A.K) representative
- Richard Odoom Mensah – Gomoa West representative
- Powerful K. Ocran – Assin South representative
- Abraham Dwuma Odoom – Ghana Association of Former Executives (GNAFE)
- John Bismark Afenyi – Mfantseman representative
- Winston Churchill Ken-Arthur – Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA)
- Frederick Johnson – Cape Coast Metropolitan Assembly representative
- Eric Owusu Sarpong – Upper Denkyira West representative
- Nana Kwesi Aseidu IV – Appendu representative
- Solomon Gyasi – Ghana Bar Association representative
- Emmanuel Essoun – Gomoa Central representative
- Dr. Ackon Baah – Twifo Heman Lower Denkyira representative
- Abraham Ato Addo Annan – Effutu Municipal representative
- Ernestina Atomboa Sackey – Agona East representative
- Kwaku J.E. Adams – Agona West representative
- Nana William Ayesu-Appiah – Assin Odoben-Brakwa representative
- Gregory Ankomah-Gyekye – Assin Central representative
- Joseph Kofi Aidoo – Ekumfi representative
- George Enoh Duodu – Asikuma-Odoben-Brakwa (ASW) representative
Also in attendance were the Acting Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Director of the Public and Vested Lands Management Division (PVLMD), Surv. Cynthia Odametey, Hon. George Kweku Ricketts-Hagan (MP for Cape Coast South), and staff of the Lands Commission.
The event marks a renewed commitment to addressing land administration challenges in the Central Region and advancing sustainable development through proper land governance.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Kwabena Nyarko Abronoma
