Kumasi: The Ashanti Region has reported the lowest incidents of land corruption in Ghana, a phenomenon credited to its centralised traditional authority in the registration and management of stool lands, as revealed by Mr. Peter Osei Owusu, the Regional Lands Officer. He highlighted the unique traditional structure of the Asante Kingdom as a significant factor in reducing land-related corruption compared to other regions.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Asante Kingdom's system requires that all lands in Greater Kumasi be confirmed by His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II. Although some authority is delegated to paramount chiefs, they continue to operate under his direction, Mr. Osei Owusu explained during a stakeholder workshop in Kumasi under the Land and Corruption in Africa (LCA) Project.
Mr. Osei Owusu emphasized the contrast between the Ashanti Region and others, where lands are often owned by families, leading to prolonged 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.
He further stated that in Ashanti, once land documents are secured from the Otumfuo's Land Secretariat and registered with the Lands Commission, ownership is assured. In contrast, in many other regions, the same land can be allocated to different individuals, sometimes even by the same chief.
Having worked in six regions, Mr. Osei Owusu confirmed that land corruption and litigation were "largely minimal" in Ashanti due to the authority vested in the Asantehene. He stressed the importance of other regions adopting similar governance structures to attract investment, as investors prefer areas without land litigation due to easier and safer registration processes.
The LCA Project, implemented by Transparency International Ghana, aims to improve land governance and tenure security by addressing corruption in land administration. It also seeks to promote transparency and equity in land governance through stakeholder engagement, including civil society, the private sector, and government institutions.