Mr. Alex Quaynor, the Chairman of the Lands Commission, has led a delegation from the Commission to pay a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osman Nuhu Sharubutu, at his residence at Fadama, Accra.
The call was to ask for his blessings as the Commission embarks on a sensitisation campaign on the provisions of the Lands Act 2020 (Act 1036), which governs land administration in the country.
The Commission has identified traditional authorities and the clergy as major stakeholders in educating the public on the new legislation.
The Chairman expressed joy for the opportunity and said the Commission had presence in all the 16 regions of Ghana and responsible for registering land titles in the Greater Accra Region and parts of the Ashanti Region.
Mr James Dadson, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, explained the structure of the Commission, which has four divisions, comprising the Survey and Mapping, Public and Vested Land Management, Land Valuation, and the Land Registration divisions.
Section 12 of the Land Act had criminalised the activities of “land guards”, he said, and that both the sponsor and the land guard committed an offence and could be persecuted and jailed for a term of not less than five years and not more than 15 years.
Therefore, it was imperative for land owners to be abreast of the provisions in the Act and be guided in their land dealings, adding that the Act was one sure way of bringing sanity into the land market.
Mr. Dadson said the public engagement was to ensure free flow of information to every segment of society and called for cooperation to make the exercise successful.
The delegation presented 10 copies of the Lands Act to the Chief Imam.
The personalities in the team include the Chairperson of the Greater Accra Lands Commission, Mrs. Yvonne Sowah, the Deputy Executive Secretary in charge of Operations, Mr Benjamin Arthur, the Acting Greater Accra Regional Lands Officer, Mr. Timothy Anyidoho, and Acting Director of Survey and Mapping, Naa Abdullah Abubakari.
The others are the Head of Human Resource, Mr. Evans Mamphey, Mr Richard Owusu Afoakwah, the Acting Director, PVLMD, Head of Procurement, Mr Randy Glymin, and Mr Michael Appiah, Head of Monitoring and Evaluation.
The National Chief Imam expressed excitement over the gesture and assured the delegation that he would do his best to ensure that the Lands Act was explained to the Muslim Community at the different mosques.
Mr. Sheikh Aremeyaw Shaib, Spokesperson to the Chief Imam, expressed gratitude to the delegation and pledged support towards the sensitisation of the Muslim Community.
Source: GNA
