PILOT LAP PROJECT BEGINS IN WASSA AMENFI (PAGE 39)

A Pilot project for the customary boundary demarcation and survey of the stool lands of the Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area in the Western Region under the Land Administration Project (LAP) has begun.
The project is to ensure orderly and peaceful co-existence of neighbours.
Four survey consultants have been selected for the first phase of the project, which will take 90 days to complete.
The consulting firms, which comprise surveyors, lawyers, communication and Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) specialists, are CTK Aviation Network Limited, Properties and Valuation Consult, Jeo-Tech Systems Limited and Losamills-Land for Life Consulting Firm.
A total amount of about US$80,000 will be spent on the first phase of the Wassa Amenfi Customary Boundary Demarcation Pilot Project.
Beside the four survey consultants, LAP also has its own consultants, GFA/GCI Consultants, which will monitor and supervise the project.
To ensure the success of the demarcation project, a day’s forum has been held for more than 229 traditional authorities from all the traditional areas in the Western Region and their neighbours from Twifo and Denkyira in the Central Region to exchange ideas and also express their concerns on the project.
At the opening session of the forum, the Director of LAP, Dr W. Odame Larbi, said the demarcation was being implemented in partnership with the government and the Survey Department.
He said if the ADR specialists were not able to resolve the misunderstanding and the two disputing parties resorted to the courts, the area under dispute would be left out of the project.
Responding to a question to the effect that the data, which would be collated would be put on the Internet to facilitate the sale of the lands to foreigners, Dr Larbi emphasised that the government had no ulterior motive on the project.
He stressed that all the data that would be collated would go to the Customary Land Secretariat, adding, “It is data we are generating for the traditional areas”.
The Planning Officer of LAP, Mr Kofi Abakah Blankson, said there were about 160 laws governing land administration in the country, most of which were not accessible.
He said approval had been given for the institutional reform and that a new Lands Commission Bill was before Cabinet for consideration.
The Principal Staff Surveyor of the Survey Department, Mr Kwasi Opoku, noted that most disputes, involving land were caused by indeterminate boundaries, while determined boundaries ensured peaceful co-existence of neighbours.
He said determined boundaries also ensured orderly development and were the basis for efficient and effective land registration system.
Mr Opoku mentioned some of the benefits which would be derived from the project as security of tenure, minimal external land disputes and enhanced value of land.
The Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolitan Chief Executive, Mr Philip Kwesi Nkrumah, noted that disputes emanating from land demarcation were endangering development activities in many communities.
He, therefore, urged the traditional authorities to ensure the success of the customary boundary demarcation pilot project to warrant its replication in other traditional areas to help institute a unique and sound land administration in the region and the country as a whole.