New konkompe: Transparency International Ghana (TI-Ghana), a Non-Governmental Organisation, in collaboration with the Lands Commission, has conducted a sensitization program for the residents of New Konkompe, a farming community in the Bono East Region. The initiative focused on educating the community about key provisions in the Land Act, 2020.
According to Ghana News Agency, the program targeted women farmers, vulnerable and youth groups, offering insights into legal advice, disputes, administrative abuses, human rights, and corruption provisions within the Act. This effort is part of the organiser's Community Land Clinic and Mobile Advocacy and Legal Advice Centre (Mobile ALAC) programme.
Mr. Michael H. Okain, the Project Coordinator of TI-Ghana, emphasized that the sensitization was a component of phase two of TI-Ghana's Land and Corruption in Africa (LCA II) project. The project aims to close the justice gap in the land sector by providing para-legal and institutional services directly to the community, enhancing transparency and accountability within the nation's land governance system.
Bernard Kofi Boateng, Bono East Regional Surveyor of the Lands Commission, informed participants about Act 1036 and its significance to customary landholders, including women, youth, and marginalized groups. He highlighted the commission's role in valuing, surveying, and undertaking land registration, noting that the Act makes land registration compulsory.
Boateng further explained that the Act mandates the renewal of residential lands every 99 years, 25 years for lands used for poultry, and 50 years for lands used for cash crop production, with a requirement for the registration of farmlands.
Nana Gyampamfi Anokye, a sub-chief at New Konkompe, pledged transparency and accountability in handling land issues in the area. Mr. Micheal Osei, Manager of Atebubu Stool Lands Secretariat, urged landowners to ensure proper documentation at the secretariat, which guarantees land ownership rights.
Nana Owusu Amoako Kyerefo, the Adehyehene (sub-chief) of the Atebubu Traditional Council, praised the sensitization effort and commended the organizers for selecting the municipality to benefit, encouraging participants to apply their newfound knowledge to effect positive change in land administration.
In an interview, Mr. Osei Bonsu Aning, the Ashanti Regional Officer of TI-Ghana, highlighted the importance of empowering residents on Act 1036 to address emerging challenges in the land sector.
