Business News of Thursday, 22 September 2011

Source: GNA

World Bank Project to strengthen land administration

Accra, Sept 22, GNA – Mr Charles Anno-Frempong, the World Bank’s Task Team Leader to implement the second phase of the land Administration Project (LAP II), has said the goal of the project was to consolidate and strengthen land administration and management systems.
This is to make for efficient and transparent service delivery through the review and enactment of appropriate laws and regulations, capacity building for land sector agencies, land owners, relevant stakeholders and civil society organizations.
He said this at the end of a two-day workshop in Tamale to kick-start the second phase of LAP II that was launched in Kumasi on September 14.
Mr Anno-Frimpong said LAPP II would work towards the completion of drafting the Land and Land Use Planning Bills and to support preparation of legislative instruments for the Land Act.
The Project would also tackle the Lands Commission and the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands Act as well as improving the deeds and titles registration systems in terms of security and reduction of turn-around time for service delivery.
He said the Project would support the demarcation and documentation of customary land rights within participating traditional authorities, undertake street addressing for selected areas including Ashiedu Keteke sub-Metropolitan Area in the Greater Accra Region.
Dr Isaac Bonsu Karikari, the Project Coordinator of LAP II, said the objective of the Project was to contribute to the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda and the Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy.
These two bodies identify access, use and security of land as major development issues that can frustrate Ghana’s industrialization.
Participants for the workshop were drawn from the Lands Commission, Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands as well as chiefs and non-governmental organizations.