Ghanaians believe Lands Commission is corrupt – Kofi Buah

The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah has expressed concern about the public perception of the Lands Commission, revealing that many Ghanaians view it as the most corrupt institution in the country.

He attributed this negative image to delays in processing land documents, which he believes contribute to growing dissatisfaction. The Minister emphasized that if workers prioritize efficiency and integrity, it could help improve the Commission’s reputation, potentially leading to better ratings in Afrobarometer surveys.

During his first visit to the Lands Commission, Buah pledged to work towards transforming the institution’s image.

“President Mahama’s intention is to reset the Lands Commission, and we are going to do it together. How do we change this place [Lands Commission]? How do we transform it into one of the most efficient places where people believe things can be done faster?”

The Minister also expressed concern over the manual processing of documents at the Commission, stressing the need for full digitalization and mapping of the entire country.

He said the laissez-faire attitude of Commission officials, resulting from the lack of digitalization, paints a very gloomy picture of the institution.

Using himself as an example, the Minister revealed that it took him several months to obtain his land title, which he applied for long before being nominated as Minister of Lands. He added that he only received the title the day after his nomination was announced.

He further revealed that there were occasions when he was told the person handling his documents was either on vacation, sick, or attending a funeral.

He maintained that the lack of digitalization contributes to these professional faux pas, hence the need to intensify the digitalization drive, including the mapping of the entire country.

“Ninety percent of all the work here is paperwork. If we map the entire country, this government will be the biggest beneficiary because you will be efficient, and people will be happy with your work,” Hon. Armah Buah emphasized.

The MP for Ellembelle later assured the Lands Commission of his commitment to securing the $165 million needed for the digitization of the Commission and the nationwide mapping initiative to enable the Commission to deliver its mandate efficiently and satisfactorily.