The flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has announced plans to address longstanding land disputes in Ghana by making land registration free for chiefs and digitising the land tenure system.
This initiative is part of a broader strategy he has outlined to tackle issues related to the land tenure system.
Speaking to the clergy in the Greater Accra Region, Dr Bawumia highlighted the high cost of registration fees as a significant barrier preventing chiefs from registering their lands, which often leads to ownership disputes.
He stressed the importance of modernising the land tenure system, pointing to examples from advanced countries where land ownership information is readily accessible online.
“In many advanced countries, if you want to know who owns the land, you can find it on your mobile phone without visiting the land registry. We are going to digitise our land records to prevent many of the disputes that arise because no one really knows who owns the land,” Dr Bawumia explained.
“Many people claim ownership, and a major issue is that many of the stool lands are not registered. I discovered that many chiefs struggle to pay the registration fee because it’s expensive. So, we are going to provide free registration for all chiefs,” he said.
In response to a separate question, Dr Bawumia addressed the controversial National Cathedral project, urging the church to lead the effort in finding a way forward, including exploring private-sector funding options.
“The National Cathedral is very important for Ghana, and I have personally contributed to it. However, the church must collaborate with the government to discuss the future of the National Cathedral.
“The church should come together to determine the best way forward and explore how we can secure private resources to help complete the Cathedral,” he said.