Accra: President John Dramani Mahama has inaugurated a 26-member Governing Board of the National Lands Commission, tasked with integrating land institutions, managing public lands, and promoting judicious land use. The inauguration ceremony took place at the Presidency in Accra, with Dr. Wordsworth Odame Larbi appointed as the Chairman.

According to Ghana News Agency, President Mahama emphasized that the Commission’s assignment was generational, entrusting them with the critical task of resetting Ghana’s land governance for the 21st century. He assured the new board of the Presidency’s full support, encouraging them to be bold and impartial in their duties to eliminate bottlenecks and uphold the constitution.

President Mahama urged the Commission to act wisely and selflessly to protect the land, reform systems, and restore public trust. He highlighted the importance of the inauguration as a significant step toward reimagining and rebuilding Ghana’s land governance architecture, emphasizing the end of impunity and the beginning of integrity in land administration.

He reiterated the critical role land plays in national development, serving as the basis for agriculture, housing, industrialization, transportation, environmental preservation, and cultural identity. He noted that the current land administration system symbolizes the challenges that need to be addressed, including confusion, conflict, and expropriation.

President Mahama pointed out that public confidence in land governance is at an all-time low, with issues such as multiple sales, litigation, extortion, and violence prevalent in both rural and urban areas. He described the situation as a national tragedy of greed, impunity, and dysfunction, particularly in the Greater Accra Region.

Highlighting the need for a reset in the land administration system, President Mahama cited independent anti-corruption surveys that consistently ranked the lands commission among the most distrusted institutions. He concluded by expressing hope that the new Commission would transform Ghana’s land sector both in policy and practice.

Dr. Wordsworth Odame Larbi, the Chairman of the Governing Board, expressed gratitude to the President on behalf of his colleagues for the opportunity to serve the nation.