Ghana’s “Broken” Land Governance: Experts Call for Urgent Fix to Curb Corruption & Conflicts

Amid the challenges Ghana is grappling with in its land governance, experts are calling for practical and bold reforms to address these obstacles and corruption in the sector.

This call was made at the Multi-Stakeholder Advocacy Workshop organized by Transparency International – TI-Ghana on “Strengthening Inclusive Land Governance in Ghana as part of its Land and Corruption in Africa Project.  

According to the project coordinator, Michael Okai, although land is one of Ghana’s most valuable yet, it is the most contested resource. From family inheritance disputes to commercial development clashes, conflicts over land ownership and usage continue to choke communities, investors, and even state projects.

At a Multi-Stakeholder Advocacy Workshop, the experts warned that the country’s land governance system is failing and urgently needs fixing.

The Challenges

Dr. Stanislaus Adiaba, a lecturer in Land Economy and Real Estate at UPSA, painted a worrying picture about the situation. He says Ghana does not have a comprehensive national land database. This means no single trusted source of information exists on who owns which piece of land.

The systems, he suggests, allow for exploitation and abuse. Making matters worse, he adds that many natural features historically used as land boundaries, such as rivers, streams, and tree lines, have disappeared due to climate change and human activity. The result is indeterminate boundaries that fuel disputes at all levels.

Adding to the problem, Albert Katako of Civic Response revealed that the lack of clearly defined land-use plans has opened the floodgates for chaos. Lands meant for agriculture are converted for housing, forest reserves are carved into private estates, and sacred or communal lands are sold off without accountability.

He further noted the multiple sales of land where the same land is sold to two or three different people. This also creates tension, conflict, and sometimes violence.

The experts agreed that these weaknesses have not only fueled corruption but also slowed Ghana’s development. Investors shy away from projects, rural farmers lose their livelihoods, and ordinary Ghanaians spend years in court battling over land they legitimately purchased.

The Solutions

But the way forward is clear, as they suggested numerous interventions. Both experts called for the establishment of a comprehensive national land database to harmonize records and eliminate duplication.

They also pressed for a district-level spatial development framework, covering zoning, layouts, and infrastructure plans, to regulate how lands are used.

Beyond policies, they stressed the need for massive advocacy and sensitization on land rights so that citizens know their entitlements, alongside grassroots mobilization to demand accountability in land transactions.

The Bottom Line

For these experts, land is not just an economic asset. It is tied to identity, security, and livelihoods. To this end, they say of the country fails to fix these governance gaps, there is the risk of entrenching conflicts that undermine our democracy and socio-economic development.

Many Ghanaians have had a bad experience with the purchase or use of land in one way or the other. Whether it’s the farmer losing his inherited farmland, the young couple swindled in a double-sale deal, or the investor stuck in endless litigation, land problems are choking dreams.

Dr. Adiaba and Albert Katako say the time to act is now because every delay means more conflicts, more corruption, and more missed opportunities.

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