The National Chairman of the Lands Commission, Mr Alex Quaynor, Wednesday led a delegation from the Commission to pay a courtesy call on the National Chief Imam, Sheikh (Dr)OsamanNuhuSharabutu at his residence in Fadama, Accra.
The purpose of the visit was to ask for his blessings as they embark on sensitising the public on the provisions in the Land Act 2020 (Act 1036) that governs land Administration in the country as Traditional Authorities have been identified as major stakeholders.
The Chairman expressed his joy for the opportunity and indicated that the Lands Commission had its presence in all 16 regions of the country.
The Commission is responsible for registering title to land here in Greater Accra and parts of the Ashanti Region.
The Ag. Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr James Dadson explained the structure of the Commission stating the four divisions that made up the Commission as Survey and Mapping Division (SMD), Public and Vested Land Management Division (PVLMD), Land Valuation Division (LVD) and the Land Registration Division (LRD).
“He mentioned that, Section 12 of the Land Act has criminalised the activities of land guards.”
He further noted that per the Act, both the sponsor and the land guard commits an offense and could be persecuted and jailed for a term of not less than five years and not more than 15 years.
It is, therefore, imperative that land owners become abreast with provisions in the Act and be guided in their land dealings.
The Act, he hinted, was one sure way of bringing sanity into the land market.
MrDadson explained that, this engagement is the beginning of more engagements to ensure the information trickles down to all members of society.
The chairman was accompanied by, the Chairperson of the Greater Accra Regional Lands Commission, Mrs Yvonne Sowah, the Deputy Executive Secretary in-charge of Operations, Mr Benjamin Arthur, the Ag Greater Accra Regional Lands Officer, Mr Timothy Anyidoho, Ag Director of Survey and Mapping, Naa Abdullah Abubakari, Head of Human Resource, Mr Evans Mamphey, Mr Richard OwusuAfoakwah, Ag Director, PVLMD, Head of Procurement, Mr Randy Glymin, and Mr Michael Appiah, Head of Monitoring and Evaluation.
The delegation presented ten copies of the Land Act to the Chief Imam.
The Chief Imam expressed joy and excitement at the kind gesture by the Commission and assured the delegation that he would do his best to ensure that the content of the Act is explained to his people in the different mosques to ensure they don’t fall foul to the laws or found culpable in any instance because ignorance is no excuse to the law.
He was optimistic that when he advocated this, it would go a long way to help all.
Mr Sheikh Armiyawo Shaibu, spokesperson of the Imam expressed his gratitude to the delegation and pledged their support to sensitise their members.
BY CLIFF EKUFUL
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