Sunyani, July 24, GNA - The first ever Brong-Ahafo Regional land forum to collate public and stakeholder views for the proposed Consolidated Land Act on Monday opened in Sunyani. The consultative approach is to ensure that the land act when passed would have reflected views from across the length and breath of the country.

Mr. Sandy Mensah Brong-Ahafo Regional, Land Administrator Project Coordinator, said plans were underway for the formation of an amalgamation of the land sector agencies to operate under a new land commission.

This is in response to government's commitment to addressing the many problems confronting land administration and management. Mr. Mensah said the proposal for the establishment of a new lands commission had culminated in the drafting of a unified code of land laws ranging from planning, administration and management, surveying titling and registration.

Nana Kwadwo Kwakye, Deputy Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, said the new law must be made to prescribe sanctions against those who flout development, control and planning regulations. He appealed to the participants at the forum to come out with guidelines and directives as to how district assemblies should apply stool land revenue.

Mrs. Mary Agyapong, Dean of Students Affairs of the Sunyani Polytechnic, said there was the need for the country to adopt a land policy that provided optimum benefit for the people. She said both customary and formal tenure system had marginalized women's rights and stressed the need to improve land rights for women not only through gender awareness but also changes in the constitutional reforms in the marriage and inheritance laws. 24 July 07