LANDOWNERS CALL FOR GOVERNMENT SUPPORT (PAGE 20)

A Number of landowners have appealed to the government for support following changes in the approval procedures in land management in the country.
So far, 10 out of 23 landowners have been selected for support in the form of technical expertise, capacity building, provision of office equipment, among other things.
The Deputy Minister of Lands, Forestry and Mines, Mrs Rita Iddi, announced this at the inauguration of a customary land secretariat (CLS) in Wa in the Upper West Region.
She said similar secretariats had been opened at Bekwai, Nkawie, Toase, Mampong, Agogo, Ejisu in Ashanti and Beyin in the Western Region.
According to Mrs Iddi, between October 2004 and June 2007, the government based its support to customary authorities for the establishemnt or strengthening of their land secretariats on a supply-led approach.
Under this approach, public land agencies selected areas without adequate consultation with the landowners.
"This approach to implementation resulted in the lack of ownership and commitment, suspicion, high expectation from the government for funding activities," she added.
The deputy minister said currently, assistance for the project was only available to stools, skins, families and other landowners who requested for such support.
Mrs Iddi said it was required that such requests came with a clear demonstration of ownership and commitment to support and sustain the secretariats.
She emphasised that the governemnt was not just interested in the establishement of the CLSs, and that the overall success of the customary land administration reform could only be achieved when the secretariats had strong and reliable database and were financially and technically sustainable.
She, therefore, encouraged all customary landowners of Wa and all stakeholders to sustain the goodwill and commitment that had been exhibited so far.
The Deputy Upper West Regional Minister, Mrs Winifred Dy-Yakah, appealed to chiefs in the region to assist in the implementation of the Land Administration Project (LAP).
She also called on all land-user agencies to ensure proper use of land through a well-co-ordinated team work.
The Wa Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Mohammed Aziz, expressed the hope that the establishment of the secretariat in the municipality would minimise land disputes.