The Upper East Region has sworn in a 10-member Regional Project Steering Committee (RPSC) under the Land Administration Project (LAP) II charged with the oversight responsibilities for smooth implementation of the LAP II in the Region.

In a speech read for him, the Regional Lands Officer, Mr James EK Dandson said the first phase of the LAP which was implemented from 2003 to 2010 laid a strong foundation for the LAP II.

He said it reviewed the status on lands and carried out institutional reforms which gave birth to the new land Commission.

“The first phase also piloted a number of initiatives such as the customary boundary demarcation, establishment of customary land Secretariats including Bolgatanga, Sandema, Paga and Bongo.

“It also digitalized land records, established land Courts, and systematic titling among others” he added.

Mr Dandson said that the second LAP was aimed at consolidating the first phase by deepening the reforms, empowering the lands sector agencies to be more responsive to clients, cutting down cost and time of doing business and providing enabling environment to reflect the objectives of an efficient and transparent service delivery.

“It will focus on removing business process bottlenecks through re-engineering and automation of processes and support the judiciary to improve upon adjudication of land cases”, the Regional Lands Officer stressed.

He said a committee which is composed of people with diverse experiences would be responsible for general dissemination of information within their respective units about the activities of the project, review and monitor work plans and budget and where appropriately resolve emerging disputes.

“Unlike the LAP I where the activities were generated from the National to the Regions, under LAP II the activities and Budgets are to be generated from the regions in conformity with four components which include Strengthening the Policy, Legal and Regulatory Framework, Decentralization and Improving Business Services delivery process, Improving Maps and Spatial Data for Land Administration and Human Resource Development and Project Management for approval by the National Steering Committee”.

The Regional Coordinator of the LAP II, Mr Eric Mwin said the second phase which is a five-year project funded by the Ghana Government and other donors including the International Development Agency (IDA), the Canadian International Development Agency(CIDA)stood at a total cost of $72 Million.

Mr Alfred Afulani Ajene, the Chairman of the RPSC, called for the need for members to take their work seriously so as to be able to make a greater impact on Land Management issues in the Region.

“We must all endeavour to ensure that we develop good proposals on time to enable us get the funding for the implementation of the LAP II. It is only through this that we may be seen as serving our people”

Membership of the RPSC is made up of representatives from the Upper East Regional Coordination Council, the Regional Health Directorate, the Regional Directorate of Agriculture, the Regional Lands Officer, Stool Lands Officer, representative from Civil Society Organizations, the Regional House of Chiefs, the Regional Directorate of Ghana Education among others.

The members who took official oath and oath of allegiance were sworn into office by Mr Joseph Dindiok Kpempa, a Lawyer.