The Ashanti Regional Lands Commission has been inaugurated to strengthen land administration and combat illegal mining activities (galamsey) in the region.
Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, charged the Commission to work collaboratively to ensure efficient land administration and play a critical role in the fight against galamsey, which has destroyed arable farmlands and polluted major water bodies in the region.
The Commission’s mandate includes promoting responsible land use, sustainable land management, and ecosystem preservation, aligning with national development goals.
Some key initiatives include land title registration expansion, base maps development, the Ghana Enterprise Land Information System (GELIS), collaboration with traditional authorities, and land swap arrangements.
The newly sworn-in Chairman of the Commission, Baffour Owusu Bediako, pledged to lead the Commission in a transformative direction, focusing on improving service delivery, strengthening collaboration with traditional authorities, and ensuring that land administration in the region aligns with national development goals.
Acting Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Surv. Prof. Anthony Owusu-Ansah, hailed the inauguration as a crucial milestone toward fully operationalizing the National Lands Commission, noting that the timely appointment of regional boards is key to strengthening land governance and ensuring the Commission’s effectiveness.
Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, described the inauguration as a pivotal move towards strengthening land administration in the region, emphasizing the need for a functional, responsive, and well-structured commission to guide land management and promote transparency, accountability, and efficiency.
The Commission is expected to address key challenges, including land encroachment, poor spatial planning, and revenue mobilization, while also working to promote sustainable land management and ecosystem preservation.
