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The Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, has urged the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands (OASL) to strengthen collaboration with traditional authorities, metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies (MMDAs) and other land sector agencies to enhance effective customary land administration.
He said strong partnerships at the grassroots were critical to the successful implementation of government policies and the promotion of orderly land development.
“These partnerships are essential for the successful implementation of government policy at the grassroots level,” he said.
The Deputy Minister made the call at the 2026 Annual Review Conference of the OASL at Tutu-Akuapem in the Eastern Region last Wednesday.
The conference was on the theme: “Accelerated National Development through the Scaling Up of Customary Land Secretariats Establishment”.
The Deputy Minister said effective customary land administration required trust, coordination and cooperation among all key stakeholders, particularly traditional authorities and local government structures.
He explained that with about 80 per cent of land in the country held under customary tenure, collaboration between the OASL and traditional institutions was indispensable towards promoting peace, investment and inclusive development.
“Strengthening trust and collaboration between OASL, Customary Land Secretariats and traditional institutions will ensure that land governance promotes peace, investment and inclusive national development,” he said.
He added that the decentralisation policy framework recognised land as a critical enabler of local economic development, making it imperative for the OASL to work closely with assemblies and other agencies.
The Deputy Minister further urged the OASL to prioritise capacity building and strengthen its internal controls to improve service delivery.
He said the annual review conference provided a timely platform to assess performance, ensure compliance with policy and legal mandates, and set realistic and measurable targets for 2026.
“I urge you to prioritise capacity building, internal controls, stakeholder engagement and inter-agency collaboration,” he added.
The acting Administrator of Stool Lands, Dr Gad Asorwoe Akwensivie, described the conference as an "eye opener", and pledged to work hard to meet expectations.
Stakeholders at the conference identified challenges facing the sector to include inadequate logistics, public misunderstanding of land tenure systems, and the need for enhanced funding.
The conference aimed to improve transparency, accountability, and efficiency in stool land administration across the country.
