Government to Publish Public Land Applications from 2017–2024

The Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources Ghana, Yusif Sulemana, has announced that the government will soon release details of all applications for public lands submitted between 2017 and 2024 as part of efforts to enhance transparency and accountability in the management of state lands.

The initiative forms part of ongoing reforms being implemented by the ministry in collaboration with the Lands Commission Ghana to strengthen oversight in the allocation and administration of public lands nationwide.

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday, March 11, the deputy minister said authorities have spent several months reviewing thousands of applications for public lands.

According to him, the review covered requests submitted by individuals, private companies and various organisations seeking to acquire or lease government lands during the specified period.

Mr Sulemana explained that the exercise revealed several irregularities, including applications that did not meet the required criteria and some land allocations that had to be revoked.

He disclosed that more than 8,000 applications were examined during the process, with some approvals cancelled while others remained valid.

The deputy minister noted that the publication of the information will enable the public to know who has acquired government lands and the amount paid for them.

He added that the move follows a directive approved by Cabinet requiring the disclosure of all reviewed public land applications.

Under the plan, the Lands Commission will publish both completed and pending applications on a regional basis to promote transparency in the management of public lands.