Nana Ama Yirrah, the Executive Director of COLANDEF has opined that the challenges that have engulfed Ghana’s land administration system can be curtailed with effective and productive collaboration among all stakeholders in the sector.

Delivering an address at the opening day of the National Land Conference on Wednesday, December 7, 2022, Nana Ama Yirrah disclosed that the conference is a product of collaborative efforts between her outfit and Natural Resources and the Lands Commission.

Nana Ama Yirrah said the conference will serve as a platform for the exchange of ideas, knowledge, and expertise from all stakeholders toward the improvement of land administration in the country.

According to her, the conference will result in the birth of a policy document on the effective implementation of the Lands Act 2020.

With more collaborations among stakeholders, Nana Ama Yirrah foresees total transformation in land administration and is confident that the decision and resolves reached at the four-day conference will be put into action.

“I am very hopeful that this is not going to be a one-off collaboration. Rather, this will be foundational to a stronger partnership between the Ministry, the Land Sector Agencies, Customary Land Authorities, Civil Society Organizations and our Development Partners. Ghana’s land sector needs sustained attention from all angles and working in such collaborations is the way to go. Together we win bigger!,” she said.

The conference being held at the Accra International Conference is on theme “Leveraging National Land Policy, Legislation and Institutional Capacity Towards Sustainable Socio-Economic Development”.

Nana Ama Yirrah, disclosed that the theme stems from the belief the with active collaborations and backing from the legislation, the goal of every stakeholder in the lands sector will be achieved.

She also reserved special praise for the partners of the Civil Society Organization for their faith and continued support.

“It is directing attention to collaboration for transformative change, and we promote this transformative change with positive emotion through color. We believe that through positive emotions, collaboration around the empowerment from national legislation, and enhanced institutional capacity we as stakeholders can work together to empower each other and the institutions in the land sector to bring about the desired change.

“Will you be part of the action? Will you be part of this transformation? I am sure you would like to be part. That is why this conference will be one with a difference. It has been organized such that all recommendations and lessons will be captured for post-conference deliberations.

“The post-conference deliberations will therefore not be an afterthought. It is implicitly woven into the conference program and designed to be part of a sustainable plan for multistakeholder participation in the land sector,” she said.

In his speech, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo urged the Lands Commission to expedite actions towards full digitalization of their operations.

“We cannot deliver an efficient land administration if documents on land have to be processed manually. We must, therefore, expedite action on the digitalization agenda, and ensure that the Commission goes fully digital,” the President said.

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor commended the likes of COLANDEF and Lands Commission for their efforts in organizing the forum.

He assured that the government will continue to work with Civil Society Organizations to develop the sector.

About COLANDEF

COLANDEF is a CSO that seeks to empower smallholder land users, women, migrants and other disadvantaged groups at the local level through advocacy and education on land rights.

The vision of the organization is to create a world where stronger land sector institutions deliver secured land tenure that contributes to better societies and improved livelihoods.