Accra, July 9, GNA- The Land Administration Project (LAP) of the Ministry of Lands, Forestry and Mines (MLFM), on Sunday announced plans to organise regional land forums on the Consolidated Land Act. The proposed Act would pool all the laws and regulations on land that are scattered in over 166 sources into one document. A statement signed by the Communication Specialist of LAP /MLFM Mrs Ama Kudom-Agyeman said, the review of the lands law and the development of a consolidated land Act is part of activities under LAP, aimed at streamlining the land administration system in the country. The statement said, the forums were to ensure that policy development framework is as participatory as possible. The Ministry is taking this consultative approach because it recognizes that managing land is big, it raises lots of issues and has many divergent interests, which must all be collated and taken into account before the Act is drafted.

By this approach the Ministry is building the initial consensus on critical land issues such as the process of accessing land and land rights.

It said, the topics to be discussed at the forums included terminologies in land administration in the regions, land ownership, security of tenure and rights associated with customary grants, compulsory acquisitions and compensation, framework for customary land administration and land use planning and development. It however said, other institutional reform and development of One-Stop Service Center, and as well as women's access to land, land rights of women and women's security of tenure.

The statement said, "The land forums, which will be held in the regional capitals are scheduled to start in Tamale, Northern Region on the 9th and 10th of July 2007 and at Koforidua, Eastern Region on the 21st and 23rd of August 2007".

It noted that, the forums will be climaxed with a three-day national land forum scheduled for October 16 to 18 2007.