Bernard Mornah
Political activist Bernard Mornah has criticized the Lands Commission for the ongoing land litigations between landowners and land guards in Ghana.
Mornah argues that if the Lands Commission provided detailed and accurate information to potential buyers about land availability, issues regarding land ownership would be minimized.
In an interview on UTV, Mornah emphasized the need for thorough investigations before purchasing land to avoid disputes.
He expressed concern over the Lands Commission's failure to provide essential information to prospective buyers, especially in cases where multiple individuals claim ownership of the same land.
Mornah's comments follow a recent incident in Kasoa Millennium City, where Lance Corporal Danso Michael was allegedly murdered by a self-acclaimed traditional ruler and national security operative named Benlord Ababio over a land dispute.
Mornah stated, "I don’t see why people should sincerely fight over land. But the other thing is that the Lands Commission is largely responsible for these things. How come the Lands Commission is not able to provide a chunk of the information to the prospective buyer?"
The tragic event underscores the importance of addressing the root causes of land disputes in Ghana.
According to Mornah, the Lands Commission's inefficiency contributes to the impunity displayed by some individuals involved in land transactions.
He highlighted the need for the commission to ensure that stool lands are properly managed and that information about land ownership is readily available to prevent multiple sales of the same land.
He called for accountability and transparency in land transactions, stating, "Anytime a land is sold, there is a portion that goes to the stool lands, family, and the state. How is that the stool land secretariat were not able to ensure that the stool lands are well taken care of?
If a stool land is registered and there is a potential buyer, the stool land administrator can reveal the availability of the land. The absence of such data will let one landlord sell a particular land to multiple buyers."