President Mahama Lifts Ban on State Land Transactions, Announces Major Land Governance Reforms

Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama has announced the lifting of the temporary ban on state land transactions during the inauguration of the newly constituted Governing Board of the National Lands Commission at the Presidency on Tuesday.

“Today, with the inauguration of the new commission and the adoption of robust accountability measures, I’m pleased to announce that the ban on land transactions has been lifted,” President Mahama declared at the ceremony.

The President emphasized that the lifting of the ban does not signal a return to previous practices. “The lifting of this ban must not signal a return to business as usual. It is a signal that a new disciplined era of Land Management has begun,” he stated.

**Strict Compliance Required**

Moving forward, all land dealings will be subject to enhanced oversight. “Henceforth, all land transactions, allocation, lease or sale must strictly comply with transparent processes, digital verification and oversight mechanisms,” the President announced.

President Mahama revealed that the temporary ban had served its purpose in identifying systemic weaknesses. “In pursuit of this reform agenda, my government placed a temporary ban on all state land transactions to enable a thorough review of existing processes. That exercise has yielded valuable insights into the weaknesses of our current system and the urgent reforms that are required.”

**Comprehensive Land Audit Ordered**

President Mahama has directed a comprehensive audit of all state lands allocated between 2017 and 2024. “I’ve directed the ministry of lands and natural resources and the Lands Commission to immediately undertake a comprehensive audit of all state lands allocated, leased or sold, particularly between 2017 and 2024,” he announced.

He assured that legitimate landowners have nothing to fear: “We’re not on a witch hunt. Those who have legally acquired land through proper processes need not fear. This exercise is about fairness and justice.”

**Ambitious Reform Goals**

He outlined ambitious service delivery targets, stating: “Our goal is clear. No land document should take more than 30 working days to process, and no Ghanaian should have to pay bribes or know someone at the top to be able to register their land.”

President Mahama concluded with a philosophical reflection on land stewardship: “We do not inherit land from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children, because it belongs to our children, and we are using it for the meantime, and so we need to know how to guard it.”

The reforms are part of what the President described as “a comprehensive national reset” aimed at transforming Ghana’s land governance system for the 21st century.