Takoradi, May 20, GNA - The government would establish Deed Registries in all regional capitals by the end of next year in addition to those in Accra and Kumasi, Prof Dominic Fobih, the Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, has said.

This is part of the wider objective of the Land Administration Project to develop an efficient, decentralised, cost effective land administration system in the country. The establishment of Deed Registries under Section One of Land Registry Act of 1962 would among others enhance land tenure security. Prof Fobih, who was inaugurating the Western Regional Deed Registry at Takoradi on Friday, said all rights and interests in land that exist in the region should be determined and registered. He said failure to establish registries in the past was the main cause of delays and high cost involved in the deed registration process. The Minister urged traditional landowners, investors and the public in the region to register their lands because benefits to be derived from this were enormous, including the use of registered instrument as collateral to secure credits.

Prof Fobih said his ministry and the Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning are looking into the possibility to decentralise the issuance of Tax Clearance Certificate by the Internal Revenue Service to enhance land registration.

He told staff of the Regional Lands Commission to refrain from collecting unauthorised charges and fees and other acts that thwart efficient administration of land service delivery. The Western Region Deed Registry would also serve the Central Region until similar office is established at Cape Coast.

Alhaji Hamidu Ibrahim Baryeh, Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, said the lands reform programmes of the government is to ensure formal recognition of the rights of all categories of landholders and facilitation of recording of these rights. He called for collaboration and coordination among all the Land Sector Agencies to make the operations of the Deed Registry a success.