Gov’t demands 70% upfront payment for public land leases

By Kizito CUDJOE

Applicants seeking leases on public lands will now be required to pay at least 70 percent of the assessed market value upfront, under sweeping reforms introduced by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to tighten oversight, boost state revenue and curb longstanding concerns over the opaque allocation of public lands.

The new premium framework, announced by the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, forms part of a broader package of public land administration reforms approved by Cabinet.

Under this new arrangement, the remaining 30 percent of the land’s value will be paid as ground rent over the lease’s duration – replacing previous arrangements that were widely seen to have undervalued state lands.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra following the February 16 announcement on the lease of public lands committee review report’s outcome, the deputy minister said the ministry, together with the Lands Commission, has started implementing the reforms.

The changes, he said, are aimed at ensuring value for money, strengthening transparency in land transactions and restoring public confidence in the management of state-owned lands.

As part of the reforms, government has also lifted the temporary ban on public land transactions that was imposed during the review process.

“All services have resumed with immediate effect,” Mr. Sulemana said, adding that land transactions will now be conducted strictly under the new procedures introduced by the ministry to ensure transparency, accountability and value for money.

The ministry in collaboration with the Lands Commission has also completed a comprehensive revision of the Public Land Application Form, widely known as Form 5.

The revised Form 5 will now serve as the single mandatory application instrument nationwide for all public land transactions, including re-applications arising from the recent review exercise and all future applications.

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources has directed the Lands Commission to publish the revised form on its official website, allowing applicants to download, complete and submit applications electronically.

Officials of the ministry say the move is intended to streamline application procedures and improve transparency in processing public land requests.

The ministry has also reviewed the Lands Commission’s internal procedures governing allocation of public lands.

Under the revised framework, no public land will be allocated without prior written approval from the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.

These updated procedures clearly define the stages involved in processing applications, while strengthening internal checks, verification mechanisms and traceability in decision-making.

Authorities noted the changes are intended to reinforce ministerial oversight and ensure that public land allocations align with national policy objectives.

As part of efforts to improve transparency in pricing, the ministry and Lands Commission have compiled market values for public lands across various estates in the country.

These values will be published on the Lands Commission’s website to provide a transparent benchmark for assessing land premiums and determining value for money in public land allocations.

Government has also established a Public Land Protection Task Force to safeguard state lands from encroachment and unlawful development.

The task force, which is awaiting formal inauguration, will operate within the framework of the Lands Commission Act 2008 and Land Act 2020, as well as applicable criminal laws relating to trespass and illegal occupation of land.

It will comprise representatives from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources; Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources; Lands Commission; Ghana Police Service and other security agencies alongside selected private sector experts.

The task force will be responsible for preventing encroachment on public lands, halting unauthorised developments and protecting lands under review from illegal occupation.

In another transparency measure, the Lands Commission will publish all public land applications reviewed during the recent exercise, including both completed and uncompleted cases.

The lists will be released region by region – beginning with Greater Accra Region – and will be available on the  Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and Lands Commission websites.

The ministry has also initiated procurement processes for national land administration digitalisation, aimed at modernising land records management and reducing human interference in land transactions.

To support this initiative, government has approved 100 percent retention of the Lands Commission’s Internally Generated Funds (IGF).

Of this amount, 67 percent has been earmarked to finance the digitalisation project – which officials say will significantly improve efficiency, transparency and service delivery in land administration.

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