Lands Commission cuts waiting time for search on land from 1 month to 7 working days

The Lands Commission says digitisation of its operations is significantly improving land administration in Ghana, reducing the waiting period for official land searches from about one month to just seven working days.

The development forms part of efforts to modernise land services, improve efficiency and make official land information more accessible to the public.

Briefing the media, the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Prof Anthony Owusu-Ansah, said the rollout of the Enterprise Land Information System (ELIS) is central to the ongoing reforms, allowing applicants to access services online without necessarily visiting the Commission’s offices.

As of September 2026, the Enterprise Land Information System had been enhanced in the Greater Accra Region and extended to nine additional regions: Eastern, Western, Volta, Western North, Oti, Bono East, Savannah, North East and Ahafo.

The Commission says it plans to launch the system in the Ashanti Region before the end of November 2026, with a nationwide rollout targeted for the end of 2027.

The online platform is expected to make the process of conducting official land searches more convenient, while reducing delays associated with traditional land administration procedures.

The expansion is also expected to support improved access to land information and strengthen the delivery of services to individuals, businesses and other stakeholders.

Beyond digitisation, the Commission is working on a new National Land Policy to replace the existing policy introduced in 1999.

An inception workshop involving traditional authorities, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), civil society organisations and development partners was held on October 6 and 7, 2026.

The review is expected to be completed in 2027.

The Commission is also advancing the regulatory framework for land administration, with draft regulations for the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), submitted to Parliament for consideration. Approval is expected before the end of 2026.

The proposed regulations are intended to support the implementation of the law and strengthen the administration and management of land in the country.

As part of efforts to bring land services closer to the public, the Commission is renovating and furnishing 36 district offices provided by selected Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

The initiative is expected to improve access to land-related services, particularly for people who may otherwise have to travel long distances to regional offices.

The Commission is also constructing 51 Continuously Operating Reference Stations (CORS) across the country to improve surveying accuracy.

These stations will provide reference data for positioning and surveying activities, supporting more precise land measurements and related professional work.

The Commission has also provided an update on its infrastructure projects.

Regional office buildings in the Savannah, Upper East and Western Regions are approximately 50 per cent complete.

Meanwhile, the final phase of the Greater Accra Regional Office Complex has been completed, with furnishing ongoing.

The infrastructure projects form part of broader efforts to improve the working environment for staff and enhance service delivery to the public.

On revenue mobilisation, the Commission reports that it collected GH¢40.7 million in ground rent as of August 2026.

The amount represents 90.4 per cent of its GH¢45 million target and exceeds the GH¢32.02 million collected throughout 2025.

The Commission has warned ground rent defaulters that legal action will be fully rolled out in 2027.

It has urged lessees to pay their ground rent annually, update their records by completing the Know Your Customer (KYC) form online and renew expired leases.

The Commission says compliance with ground rent obligations is important for improving revenue collection and ensuring that lessees meet their responsibilities under their lease agreements.

The Lands Commission is also handling land acquisition and compensation processes for several major infrastructure projects across the country.

These include the Ashaiman-Akosombo Road, Motorway-Dawhenya Road, Kumasi Outer Ring Road, Suame Interchange and the GRIDCo Accra-Kumasi corridor.

Other projects include the Petroleum Hub at Jomoro and Phase III of the Appiatse Resettlement Project.

The acquisition and compensation processes are expected to support the implementation of the projects while addressing land-related requirements associated with their development.

The Commission’s latest updates highlight ongoing efforts to improve land administration through digital services, policy reform, infrastructure development and stronger revenue mobilisation.

With the expansion of ELIS, the review of the National Land Policy and the planned nationwide rollout of digital land services, the Commission is seeking to make land transactions more efficient and accessible.

The effectiveness of these reforms will depend on their implementation, the reliability of land information and the public’s ability to access the services.

The Commission’s target of full national coverage by the end of 2027 marks a key milestone in its efforts to modernise land administration in Ghana.

By Joseph Armstrong Gold-Alorgbey