IMPACT OF CUSTOMARY LAND SECRETARIATS ON LAND RIGHTS

DOCUMENTATION AND TENURE SECURITY IN GHANA

SAMUEL BIITIR, BASLYD NARA, STEPHEN AMEYAW

Department of Real Estate and Land Management, University for Development

Studies, Ghana

Presenting author sbbiitir@gmail.com

IntroductionIn Ghana, land administration is

governed by both customary practices and enacted legislations

Two principal types of land tenure

Customary lands are vested in chiefs and clans/families

IntroductionManagement of customary lands

over the years have been problematic in terms of the following◦Poor recording of land transactions◦Weak administrative machinery◦Multiple sales of lands etc

IntroductionLAP and policy orientation Customary Lands Secretariats establishedAmongst the roles are:

◦Improved quality of records and accessibility of information at local level on land use and holdings, land transactions and availability, and associated financial and cadastral records

◦Consolidate and develop landholding rules and develop public land allocation and transaction procedures to limit double or multiple allocations

Research methodologyQualitative research

methodology with particular focus on the case study research strategy

CLS selected based on the following

(a) whether the establishment was ‘supply-led’ or ‘demand-led’,

(b) Type of tenurial system, and (c) CLSs in two geographical

zones – Southern and Northern Ghana

Data collection methodsSemi- structured interviewsReview of CLS annual reports

ResultsSupply-driven approachDemand-driven approachPrincipal reasons for establishing

the surveyed CLS – proper records keeping and land dispute resolution

Records on land rights – supply-driven CLSs

Region Greater Accra Western Ashanti Northern Upper West CLS Gbawe Kwatei Wasa Amenfi Yim Awere-Toase Gulkpegu Tabiase Year M F Total M F Total M F Total M F Total M F Total

2003 36 37 73 2004 800 403 1203 2005 300 100 400 177 2006 274 2007 292 2008 200 50 250 175 10 3 13 415 185 600 2009 99 1446 266 1712 2010 65 5 1 6 3573 72 3645 2011 34 2741 28 2769 2012 6 7 0 7 4495 45 4540 2013 700 100 800 27 5267 34 5301 2014 1000 300 1300 35 10 5 15 4320 41 4361

Records on land rights – demand-driven CLS Sourthern Ghana

Region Western Central Volta Eastern Ashanti CLS Wasa Fiase Odupongkpehe Fievie Anum Ejisu YEAR M F Total M F Total M F Total M F Total M F Total

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 54 15 69 250 2009 15 10 25 102 35 137 85 31 116 2010 70 26 96 85 30 115 119 52 171 2011 80 25 105 120 72 192 160 63 223 60 30 90 2012 143 44 187 145 82 227 50 20 70 2013 92 30 122 224 112 336 40 25 65 2014 151 63 214 187 96 283 50 20 70

Demand driven CLSs northern sector

Region Brong Ahafo Upper East Northern Upper West CLS Techiman Nkoranza Bolga Bongo Bole Wa Central Year M F Total M F Total M F Total M F Total M F Total M F Total

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 280 51 331 56 22 78 50 16 66 300 32 5 37

2009 425 16 441 256 95 351 500 69 7 76

2010 772 23 795 115 326 441 7000 64 9 73

2011 686 26 712 333 170 503 350 57 12 69

2012 512 40 552 401 101 502 350 84 14 98

2013 819 28 847 320 156 476 100 64 21 85

2014 789 33 822 413 33 446 23 7 30 9 3 12 1200 20 5 25

Nature of land transactions recorded

Rural and urban Plot allocationsShare-cropping arrangementsFarm lands allocationLeasesConsent and transfer

Land disputes settled by CLS

Dispute settlement through Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanism

Number of disputes settled

CLS

Gbawe Kwatei No.

Wasa Amenfi No.

Yim Awere-Toase No. Gulkpegu No. Tabiasi No.

YEAR 2003 2004 2005

multiple sales,

boundary dispute

2006 2007 2008 encroachment 7 2009 2010 multiple sales 4

double allocation

48 2011 multiple sales 12 64 2012 multiple sales 6 32 2013 multiple sales 15 55

2014 multiple sales 8 362 73

Disputes settled in southern Ghana

CLS Wasa Fiase No. Odupongkpehe No. Fievie No. Anum No. Ejisu No. YEAR 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 multiple sales 30 2009 multiple sales 67

2010 encroachment 98 boundary disputes 15 Encroachment 2

farmland disputes

20 2011 encroachment 135 15 2012 encroachment 107 Encroachment 1 17 2013 multiple sale 16 multiple sales 72 15

2014 multiple sale 5 encroachment 54 multiple sales 21 boundary disputes 10

Disputes settled in Northern Ghana

CLS Techiman No. Nkronza No. Bolga No. Bongo No. Bole No. Wa Central No. YEAR 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

2008 multiple sales 1 double

allocation

100

Double allocation

61

2009 encroachment 6 boundary disputes 3 layout effect

Multiple sales

2010 encroachment 3 boundary disputes 1 multiple sales

Boundary dispute

2011 multiple sales 3 multipe sales 2 transition of

chiefs

2012 encroachment 4 boundary disputes 2

double allocation

2013

2014 encroachment 8 farmland dispute 1

CLS boundary demarcation4 out of the sample did not know

their boundariesHence disputes on boundaries of

customary areasRemaining know their boundaries

but by traditional method of identification

Also resulting in boundary disputes

Land use planning & plot allocation procedures

The study revealed that none of the sampled CLSs have documented any land use planning mechanism.

They totally depend on TCPD to produce formal land use planning schemes for them.

Therefore, with the exception of Gbawe Kwatei, Odupongkpehe, Wasa Amenfi, Anum, and Techiman CLSs, the rest of the sampled CLSs do not have records on the sizes of the various land use types within their jurisdictions.

Public education and sensitisationCLS Number of

applicants recorded in the year CLS was established

Number of application after the first sensitization programme

Number of application after the second sensitization programme

Fievie 0 0 0 Gbawe Kwatei 3000 1150 Over 2000 Odupongkpehe 36 1224 1774 Wasa Amenfi 171 274 289 Wasa Fiase 25 96 105 Anum 116 No records No records Ejisu 70 50 50 Yim Awere Toase 60 15 30 Techiman 331 441 795 Nkoranza 2682 1002 1062 Bolga 66 No records No records Bongo No records No records No records Gulkpegu Over 2000 Over 2000 Over 2000 Bole No Records No records No records Wa Central 137 939 1216 Tabiasi No records No records Records

ConclusionThe study has demonstrated that CLSs are vital to

land rights documentation and security of tenure and that they have performed creditably well in the areas of recording of land transactions, disputes settlement and sensitisation of communities on land rights and allocation procedures

The effectiveness of these however depends on continuous improvement of records keeping, collaboration with public land sector agencies especially in areas of sharing information on rights, uses, disputes and preparation of planning layouts

AcknowledgementWe acknowledge the support

provided by Mr. Komson of the OASL Headquaters, Mr. Ebenzer Arther, Regional Stool Lands Officer, Eastern Region, and our research assistants – Maxwell, Prisca, Xorse, William Appau and Grace for collecting data from the various regions in Ghana

References Abdulai, R. T. & Ndekugri, I. E. (2007) Customary

landholding institutions and housing development in urban centres of Ghana: Case Studies of Kumasi and Wa. Habitat International, Vol. 31, Pages 257–267.

Amanor, K. S. (2009) Securing Lands Rights in Ghana. In Ubink, J. M., Hoekema, A. J. & Assies, W. J. (Eds.) Legalising Land Rights: Local Practices, State Responses and Tenure Security in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Leiden, Leiden Unviersity Press.

Antwi, A. Y. (2006) Strengthenig Customary Land Administration, 5th FIG Regional Conference on the theme: Promoting Land Administration and Good Governance. Accra, Ghana. March 8-11

Bruce, J. W. (2013) Land Tenure, Property Rights and Local Land Governance United States Agency for International Development (USAID, Property Rights and Resource Governance Briefing Paper 16,