The Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, has commended the Lands Commission for taking digital initiatives to transform its operations.
Speaking at the commissioning of an ultra-modern office complex for the Commission in Accra on Monday November 25, 2024, Dr. Bawumia said the commissioning of the office, also highlights the modernisation of the Lands Commission to ensure efficient service.
Dr. Bawumia recalled his visit to the Lands Commission’s office in February 2018, and the challenges the commission faced with office space, as well as handling of documents.
“On that fateful day, at the Land Title Registration Division Office, I saw volumes of files all over the place. I observed that the Commission had a huge problem with space, not only to store their files, but also for staff to do their work,” Dr. Bawumia said.
“I saw a Commission, heavily dependent on manual records, the movement of files across offices, some of which you have to cross the road to the other side, and I remember saying, we cannot move forward, if we do not tackle these challenges,” he added.
“In my encounter with the media, I assured of Government’s commitment to see to the completion of the new head office complex of the Lands Commission, as part of measures to deal with the challenges the Commission was facing.”
“Today, I am happy that we have delivered on this promise, and I have the honour to formally commission this imposing new Head Office building for the Lands Commission.”
Dr. Bawumia said Ghana’s land sector continues to play a critical role in the economy, shaping the development of communities, cities, and the nation as a whole.
“The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) estimates that some ninety percent (90%) of our population derive their livelihoods directly or indirectly from land.”
“A well-functioning land administration system is, therefore, essential for sustainable economic development, social cohesion, and a vibrant investment climate. That is why building a robust and modern land administration must be the priority of all,” he stressed.
Highlighting government’s efforts in the last eight years, Dr. Bawumia said government has been working to building a robust land administration, anchored on three pillars: modern office infrastructure, digitization and automation of business processes, through well-motivated and knowledgeable staff.
“The completion of this new Head Office building, equipped with state-of-the-art facilities, is geared towards the first pillar of a robust land administration, and demonstrates Government’s commitment to creating a conducive environment for effective land management.”
“To achieve the second pillar, I established in my office, a Laison Unit, to work closely with the Lands Commission and other institutions, to expedite digitalization of its processes. Through this collaboration, we have worked to drive reforms, advance digitization, and strengthen governance within the land sector. Indeed, when I visited the Commission in 2018, I emphasized the need to streamline property valuation, property digitization, the digitalization of the records of the Commission, and the consolidation of searches.”
“Working with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Management of the Lands Commission, we have implemented most of these measures such as online searches, consolidated searches from all the Divisions of the Commission, and the Electronic Property Appraisal System for property valuation.
“Im today’s fast-evolving world, digital transformation is essential for enhancing service delivery, accountability, and transparency, and I commend the Lands Commission for their efforts in this regard. Today, with the aid of digitalization, the Lands Commission has been able to automate land title certificates, which reduces the potential for errors that could arise from manual entries, thereby significantly enhancing accuracy and efficiency.”