President John Dramani Mahama has directed the Lands Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources to carry out a full audit of all state lands allocated, leased, or sold between 2017 and 2024.

Any transactions found to involve illegality, conflict of interest, or abuse of office will be annulled in accordance with the law.

Unveiling a bold reform package, the President announced several innovations designed to transform land administration in Ghana. These include:

* Nationwide digitisation of land records through the Enterprise Land Information System.

* Integration of registries, valuation, and survey departments.

* Deployment of blockchain technology to secure land data.

* Establishment of fully functional land offices in all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies.

* Recruitment of over 300 young professionals to enhance decentralisation and improve public services.

Mahama urged the newly sworn-in Lands Commission Board to spearhead the transformation, ensuring integrity, fairness, and accountability in the sector.

Four-Pillar Reform Agenda

To address longstanding challenges, the President outlined a four-pronged reform agenda:

* Restoring public confidence in land administration through transparency and justice.

* Reversing illegal transactions and reclaiming encroached public lands.

* Digitising and decentralising services to improve efficiency and accessibility.

* Harmonising customary and statutory systems for greater equity and coherence.

As part of the reforms, the government has lifted the temporary ban on state land transactions.

Going forward, all allocations, leases, and sales will be processed under strict digital verification, transparent procedures, and stronger oversight.

“No land document should take more than 30 working days to process, and no Ghanaian should have to pay bribes or know someone at the top to register their land,” Mahama emphasised.