President of Imani Africa, Franklin Cudjoe has extolled the Akufo-Addo-led government for the implementation of the national digitisation agenda in the country.

He said digitisation of land administration and also the completion of property valuation will reinforce private sector confidence in the economy, reduce the staggering number of land-related disputes in the courts and also improve productivity.

A statement he issued following the launch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) manifesto for the 2020 polls said: “Two related and very good promises made by the NPP that I find very crucial to stress-free property acquisition, property registration and revenue generation are: 1. Complete the digitisation of land administration.

Ensure the completion of property valuation and digitisation of valuation rolls across the country to improve local revenue from property taxation.

“These formed part of our conversation last Wednesday when the Vice-President graciously hosted the IMANI team to discuss social inclusiveness of manifesto commitments.

The Vice-President and his top aide, Evron Hughes assured us they have been having conversations with the Lands Ministry and its Commission to fix the remaining issues with lands administration.

“The above, when aggressively pursued will bolster private sector confidence in our economy, reduce the staggering number of land-related disputes in our courts (almost 60% of all disputes) improve our productivity, and ultimately our ranking on the ‘Doing Business Index’.

In its 2020 ‘Doing Business Report’, the World Bank ranks Ghana 118 out of 190 economies. Ghana’s weak performance was in part attributed to severe challenges in property registration (property rights protection), ease of starting a business, enforcement of contracts, resolving insolvency, payment of taxes, trading across borders and dealing with permits.

“Ghana ranked 62nd in 2012, 67th in 2013, 112th in 2014, 111th in 2015, 108th in 2016, 120th in 2017, 114th in 2018, 118th in 2019 and 118th in 2020. We can do better.

“IMANI will be holding a series of high-level public-private sector policy dialogues, funding willing, to help change the narrative.

“We have alternate views on the NPP’s promise of an integrated bauxite and aluminium industry. We will share the data and evidence in due course.”