The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor has told Journalists that the Land Commission has been able to complete appraisal of property rates of 75 MMDAs nationwide.
According to Mr. Jinapor, the exercise was made possible by the support from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ).
Addressing Journalists in Accra on Tuesday, he said "So far, with support from the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), Lands Commission had completed an appraisal of property rates of 75 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) nationwide"
The Minister also mentioned that the Akufo-Addo administration will ensure it reforms all land administration systems in Ghana.
He stressed that via technology, it is will be easy to keep all land records for efficient service delivery. "Government would work with the private sector in that endeavor and by the first quarter of next year, all the digitization interventions rolled out by the Commission would take shape" he hinted.
The Sector Minister also added that the NPP government is working on coming out with a new policy on property rates for appropriate rates to be charged on every structure.
"The current law that regulates property rates cannot include land as a variable or ingredient for valuation of the property and so you value the property based on the structure and not the value of the land and I think it's inequitable and unfair. Therefore the new policy would ensure equity in property valuation,"
On his part, the acting Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, James Dadson said "We are working hard to address the myriad of challenges facing land administration in the country"
Mr. Dadson said The Commission was putting measures in place to improve mapping and spatial data, production of digital-based maps for accurate data collection, establishing a National Spatial Data Infrastructure to ensure that agencies that required land data had a reference point as well as ensuring that all manual land records were transmitted into digital one"
He hinted that only 10% of land records that were gathered manually in the Greater Accra Region have been digitized.
"We intend to build a capacity of our staff and improve corporate governance culture"
He concluded by saying digitization and modernisation of land administration is an important tool in boosting the country's economy
Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith
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