Ghana’s Lands Commission is working towards completing a new National Land Policy in 2027 while expanding digital land administration services and improving access to official land searches, Executive Secretary Prof. Anthony Owusu-Ansah has disclosed.
Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Prof. Owusu-Ansah outlined the Commission’s progress in reviewing the country’s existing land policy, advancing regulations for the Land Act 2020 and rolling out digital systems intended to improve service delivery across the regions.
The Commission is also preparing to extend selected land administration services closer to communities through district offices and is investing in surveying infrastructure and regional office facilities.
“It is our commitment that the new policy reflect current national priorities and responds effectively to emerging land governance challenges.”
Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, Ghana, Prof. Anthony Owusu-Ansah
Lands Commission Reviews 1999 National Land Policy
Prof. Owusu-Ansah said one of the government’s priorities is developing a new National Land Policy to replace the existing framework adopted in 1999. The Lands Commission is facilitating the review in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands.
An inception workshop held on October 6 and 7, 2026, brought together stakeholders to provide input for drafting the new policy. Participants included traditional authorities, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies, ministries, departments and agencies, civil society organisations, academia, development partners and the media.
The Executive Secretary indicated that further consultations would take place as the drafting process progresses, allowing stakeholders to contribute to a policy that reflects the needs and concerns of actors across the land sector.
The Commission anticipates completing the review in 2027. The proposed policy is expected to provide a framework for improved land governance and sustainable land management.
Regulations for Land Act Reach Parliament
The Commission has also advanced work on regulations intended to support implementation of the Land Act 2020, Act 1036, and strengthen land administration and governance.
According to Prof. Owusu-Ansah, consultations have been held with key stakeholders, including Parliament’s Committee on Subsidiary Legislation, and the revised draft regulations have been forwarded to Parliament for consideration and approval.
The Commission expects parliamentary approval before the end of 2026. This would pave the way for the operationalisation of the relevant provisions of the legislation. The proposed regulations form part of broader efforts to establish a more effective framework for administering and managing land in Ghana.
Digital Land Services Expand Across Regions
A central part of the Commission’s reforms is the phased rollout of the Enterprise Land Information System (ELIS), a digital platform designed to improve the efficiency, accessibility and effectiveness of land administration services.
As of September 2026, the system had been enhanced in Greater Accra and extended to nine additional regions: Eastern, Western, Volta, Western North, Oti, Bono East, Savannah, North East and Ahafo.
The Commission is developing and introducing digital workflows for major land administration services in phases across the regions where the system has been deployed. Prof. Owusu-Ansah said members of the public can now apply online for official land searches, reducing the need to visit Lands Commission offices in person.
The change has reduced the turnaround time for official searches from approximately one month to an average of seven working days. The Commission plans to launch ELIS at its Ashanti Regional Office before the end of November 2026, with full operationalisation across all regional offices expected by the end of 2027.
The Executive Secretary said the long-term objective is to establish an integrated, technology-driven land administration system that supports secure transactions, reliable access to land information and greater public confidence.
The full rollout of the Strategic Land Administration Reform Project is expected to further support this objective through investment in digital infrastructure, systems integration and service delivery.
Commission Plans 36 District Offices
The Lands Commission is also working to bring services closer to the public by establishing offices within selected metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies.
Prof. Owusu-Ansah disclosed that the Commission had conducted a needs assessment to identify suitable locations and determine the requirements for setting up the offices.
Some assemblies provided accommodation to support the initiative. The Commission is now working to renovate and furnish 36 identified facilities so they can begin offering selected land administration services.
The initiative is intended to improve access to the Commission’s services, particularly for clients who would otherwise need to travel to regional offices.
Surveying Infrastructure and Regional Offices
The Commission has established and observed 51 stations under a National Continuously Operating Reference Stations network initiative, as of September 2026.
The network, being developed with the Lands and Surveyors Association of Ghana and a private-sector partner, is being piloted nationwide. It is expected to improve the accuracy and reliability of surveying and geospatial data, support cadastral surveying and strengthen spatial planning.
Infrastructure projects are also progressing across the country. Construction of regional office buildings in Savannah, Upper East and Western regions is ongoing, with an average completion rate of approximately 50 per cent during the reporting period.
Construction of the Central Regional Office has resumed following the resolution of earlier challenges, and the project is expected to be completed by 2027.
The final phase of the Greater Accra Regional Office Complex has been completed, with procurement underway to finish the facility before commissioning and operationalisation. The complex will house the Greater Accra Client Service and Assets Unit.
For the Tema office, the Land Commission has received commitment authorisation from the Ministry of Finance to continue construction, while procurement processes are underway to engage a contractor.
The measures outlined by Prof. Owusu-Ansah form part of the Commission’s broader efforts to modernise land administration, improve access to services and strengthen the systems supporting land management in Ghana.
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