The Ashanti Region recorded the lowest incidents of land corruption in Ghana, a situation attributed to its centralised traditional authority in the registration and management of stool lands, Mr. Peter Osei Owusu, the Regional Lands Officer, has revealed.
He explained that the unique traditional structure of the Asante Kingdom significantly reduces land-related corruption compared to other regions.
“All lands in Greater Kumasi must be confirmed by His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II,” Mr. Owusu said
Although he has delegated some authority to the paramount chiefs, they still operate under his direction,” Mr. Osei Owusu told journalists, on the sidelines of a stakeholder workshop held in Kumasi under the Land and Corruption in Africa (LCA) Project.
He said the Asante system stands in sharp contrast to other regions where lands are often owned by families, creating room for protracted disputes and multiple claims.
“In other regions, disputes and litigations push people to pay bribes just to have their documents registered.
But in Ashanti, because litigation is minimal, one can have land documents registered within a month,” he noted.
According to him, once land documents are secured from the Otumfuo’s Land Secretariat and registered with the Lands Commission in Ashanti, ownership is guaranteed.
In many other regions, however, it is possible for the same land to be allocated to different people, sometimes even by the same chief.
Mr. Osei Owusu, who has worked in six regions, said he could confirm that land corruption and litigation were “largely minimal” in Ashanti due to the authority vested in the Asantehene.
He further stressed the need for other regions to adopt similar governance structures to attract investment.
“Investors are ready to go to areas where there is no land litigation because it makes registration easier and safer,” he added.
The LCA Project, being implemented by Transparency International Ghana, seeks to improve land governance and tenure security by addressing corruption in land administration.
It also aims to promote transparency and equity in land governance through the engagement of stakeholders, including civil society, the private sector and government institutions.
