Stool lands yield C60 billion for devt projects

Elmina (C/R), Jan 21, GNA- The office of the Stool Lands Administrator last year mobilised and disbursed 60.6 billion cedis to district assemblies, stools and traditional authorities as against 41.8 billion cedis in the previous year.

The amount was used for development projects, such as the construction of schools, markets and palaces, and for the provision of potable water and scholarships to needy but brilliant school children. Dr Mrs Matilda Fiadzigbey, the Administrator of Stool Lands made this known at the sixth national annual conference of the office of the administrator of stool lands on Wednesday at Elmina in the Central Region.

The five-day conference, which had the theme "facing the challenges of the Land Administration Project" (LAP), is being attended by 46 participants including regional stool lands officers and executive officers, accountants, and revenue staff from the stool lands administrator's office.

It is geared towards taking stock of the activities of the office and also deliberate and formulate strategies to enhance its operations. Dr Mrs Fiadzigbey pledged her outfit's commitment to the success of LAP, which among others, designed to develop a sustainable, and well functioning and decentralised land administration system.

"We are highly aware that the success of the project will in no doubt contribute significantly to an effective and efficient mobilisation of stool land revenue which is the core objective of LAP" she said.

Dr Mrs Fiadzigbey stated that her office would map out specific roles in promoting the establishment of customary land secretariats to strengthen the capacities of traditional authorities.

The administrator, however expressed concern about certain issues pertaining to land administration in the country such as the plight of tenant/settler farmers, and asked that the 2000 report issued on the 'committee of landlords' should be critically looked at and implemented. She was hopeful that the participants would come out of the conference more prepared and determined to achieve the target of creating a platform where dedicated staff, through teamwork, excellence and professionalism, would enable them stay focused and provide improved service to all stakeholders.

Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Lands and Forestry in a speech read for him, said Ghana's Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS) which is part of the development agenda of the government, acknowledged the need for a reform in the land administration system in the country to promote good governance, social stability and investment.

The Minister urged the participants to be part of the land administration agency and help break down all the barriers that they had hitherto surrounded themselves with and challenged them to be familiar with all the processes associated with the project management, including reporting mechanism, financial administration, procurement, time management, monitoring and evaluation.

He called on them to evolve strategies that would address the concerns of the different and varied stakeholders, taking into consideration the peculiar characteristics of each selected customary area.

The occasion was used to launch a brochure of the office of the administrator of stool lands, "on the requirements and procedures for collection and disbursement of stool land revenue".