To Ghana authorities about land issues

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• Prof Lungu 9 years ago

  Kofi,
  We hope things work out for you and your new wife, that the container shop is not destroyed simply because a government official gave you the wrong information.
  
  It is tough luck, but we will suggest you hang on the ...
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  Kofi,
  We hope things work out for you and your new wife, that the container shop is not destroyed simply because a government official gave you the wrong information.
  
  It is tough luck, but we will suggest you hang on the that document from the official. Maybe you and your wife can now go to court and file an injunction, and failing sue that government, if the investment is destroyed.
  
  Regarding why government agencies responsible for land planning and development do not have land maps, tax maps, and other development planning documents, it goes to the education system, and lack of employment opportunities (e.g., internships) where students and people new to the field receive training before full employment.
  
  But as you suggest, in cities in particular, it should not be difficult for land planners and officials to locate and map land parcels using Google free of charge, for instance.
  
  We are in the US.
  
  We recently bought some parcels of land in another area in Ghana, and after receiving the "Allocation" document from the local government, the workers could not even understand why we wanted the geographic coordinates for the 4 corners of the lands. They could not help.
  
  Then we asked the surveyor who surveyed the land and produced the site plan. He'd provided "Bearings" on the Site Plan - that was not too helpful. So, we had to send the surveyor back to the land to acquire the coordinate data, which he did.
  
  When they sent the data to us, we were able to precisely "plot" the parcels on the Google aerial map, free of charge.
  
  So what?
  
  We are saying it might be a good idea for people investing in land to begin doing these things on their own, until the lowly-paid, and unprepared government bureaucrats catch up.
  
  Finally, we believe that government agencies could use the type of experience you talk about, if they think about the needs of customers just like you and your spouse.
  
  
  Thanks.

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• Nana Araba 9 years ago

  LAND SHOULD BE BOUGHT BY BANKS WHO WORK WITH THE LAND DEPARTMENT TO REGISTER THE LAND DIGITALLY.
  
  THE BANKS CAN DO THE BUYING OF ALL LANDS FROM THE CHIEFS AND FAMILY MEMBERS ETC.
  
  IF YOU WANT TO BUY LAND, YOU CONTACT LA ...
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  LAND SHOULD BE BOUGHT BY BANKS WHO WORK WITH THE LAND DEPARTMENT TO REGISTER THE LAND DIGITALLY.
  
  THE BANKS CAN DO THE BUYING OF ALL LANDS FROM THE CHIEFS AND FAMILY MEMBERS ETC.
  
  IF YOU WANT TO BUY LAND, YOU CONTACT LANDS DEPARTMENT THEY GIVE YOU A PRINTOUT OF THE LAND AND YOU GO TO THE BANK WHO BOUGHT THE LAND TO PAY THEM! PERIOD! I BELIEVE A SYSTEM LIKE THIS WOULD WORK BETTER THAN WHAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE.
  
  IF THE GHANAIAN ENGINEERS, ARCHITECTS ASSOCIATIONS BASED IN GHANA ARE INVITED BY PRESIDENTS OF GHANA TO SUPERVISE THE BUILDING OF OUR COUNTRIES INFRASTRUCTURE OF COURSE OUR PROFESSIONALS WILL!
  
  GHANAIAN AND AFRICAN LEADERS LIKE TO SIGN CONTRACTS WITH FOREIGN COMPANIES SO THEY GET THEIR SHARE OF 10%!
  
  THIS GREEDY WAY OF NOT USING GHANA'S PROFESSIONAL ENGINEERS AND ARCHITECTS FOR OUR MAJOR CONSTRUCTIONS IS A NO BRAINER!
  THE GREED GHANA/AFRICAN'S LEADERS EXHIBET HAS NOT GOT US OUT OF POVERTY YET! THE CHOAS OF MANAGING ANYTHING IN OUR COUNTRY IS SUCH A DISGRACE!
  
  GHANA, AFRICA HAS IT ALL! WHAT IS LEFT IS: ORGANIZE OURSELVES TO BE EFFICIENT!
  THE CHAOS AND FILTH AROUND GHANA IS SUCH A DISGRACE FOR THE WORLD TO SEE!
  
  IF ACCRA HAD A GOOD SYSTEM IN PLACE FOR SHOPS, AND CONTAINERS TO PAY TAXES AND THE SHOPS AND CONTAINERS ARE NUMBERED AT OUR CITY HALL, (AMA OFFICE) ALL THIS CONFUSION WILL NOT OCCUR FOR KOFI AND HIS WIFE.
  
  KOFI YOU AND YOUR WIFE SHOULD THINK OF A MANUFACTURING COMPANY RATHER PLEASE? BUYING AND SELLING IS TOO MUCH IN GHANA. UNLESS WHAT YOU ARE SELLING IS VERY UNIQUE?
  
  MANUFACTURNING INDUSTIRES ARE THE WAY FORWARD! IF THE GHANA ENGINEERS ARE INVITED BY THE PRESIDENT TO SOLVE OUR ELECTRICITY AND DRAINAGE PROBLEMS THERE WILL BE AN OPPORTUNITY FOR MANUFACTURING INDUSTRIES TO BE SET UP AND THEY WILL BE SUCCESSFUL AND CREATE JOBS TOO!

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• Prof Lungu 9 years ago

  Nana Araba,
  You idea about banks buying all the lands from chiefs and other sellers, and then selling the parcels to individuals and businesses is a novel one.
  
  We do not believe, however, that it is the responsible way t ...
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  Nana Araba,
  You idea about banks buying all the lands from chiefs and other sellers, and then selling the parcels to individuals and businesses is a novel one.
  
  We do not believe, however, that it is the responsible way to go.
  
  Ghana ought not sell all its lands to conglomerates, even if Ghanaian owned.
  
  The idea is, increasingly, banks are getting bigger-and-bigger, fewer-and-fewer. Further, the interests of Banks are not synonymous with the interests of the public (the Nation, so to speak). The public interest, is best served and protected by civil servants.
  
  However, this is not to say that buyers cannot use banks to verify title, ensure demarcations are accurate, transfers are legal, and then earn some money as cost of the transaction through the bank. In fact, we probably could say that banks in Ghana have failed Ghanaians given that there is a big demand for these types of services and products.
  
  Your idea about ensuring Ghanaian professionals are brought into the business to assist/learn/earn, in infrastructure development is a great one.
  
  We also believe that not enough is being done in this area.
  
  Moreover, this also applies to the millions of unemployed, unskilled labor in the country.
  
  Ghana needs to develop schemes whereby the unemployed/unskilled labor are utilized to build, tear down, operate, and maintain, throughout the country.
  
  This would still be necessary and right on point if what all the millions of unemployed/unskilled labor (men and women) in the country, if all they do is carry on their heads and backs concrete, water, gravel, sand, timber, roofing sheets, iron rods, pipes, water tanks, solar panels, bales of electrical cords, tiles, appliances, furniture, drums of paint, etc., from truck-to-job site, under qualified supervision.
  
  Then, there is the case of sanitation - collection of garbage, thrash, putrid sewer, and clearing and construction/re-construction of gutters, culverts, and drainage systems.
  
  Etc., etc.!
  
  The latter are the types of schemes that GYEEDA ought to be doing, instead of giving away taxis to so-called unemployed, and that sort of thing.
  
  Finally, your suggestion to Kofi is right on point, as there are some legal restriction. However, what he can do might be limited by what the spouse can do to support. We noticed also that he indicated he had some knowledge, training, or experience related to cadastral and mapping products and activities. Suggests to us a professional company of that nature, could as well, be housed in a "container".
  
  Thanks, Nana Araba!

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• MARCUS AMPADU 9 years ago

  I feel your pain Kofi. Your painful predicament is a clear illustration of the problems we have in Gnana on land issues.
  
  All lands in the country should divided into public lands and non-public land.
  
  The government w ...
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  I feel your pain Kofi. Your painful predicament is a clear illustration of the problems we have in Gnana on land issues.
  
  All lands in the country should divided into public lands and non-public land.
  
  The government will have sole possession of public lands, use it for developing the nation - building schools, hospitals, roads, energy needs, and all kinds of government projects.
  
  The non-public lands will be divided into two: those entrusted to Chiefs to be used by the people who are the denizens of that particular traditional area; and private-public partnership land to used by businesses such as the Agbogba container small business owned by Kofi & his wife, and other govt. supported businesses, including foreign investments.
  
  Have no fear Mr. Kofi, we have your back.
  Thanks for sharing your story. Keep us posted;
  You can get in touch:
  ampasoft@aol.com

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• Prof Lungu 9 years ago

  Looks like we have more discussions about these development issues on Ghanaweb, than we hear about them, from the numerous agencies charged with solving the problems.
  
  You approach to land division/sub-division will work - ...
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  Looks like we have more discussions about these development issues on Ghanaweb, than we hear about them, from the numerous agencies charged with solving the problems.
  
  You approach to land division/sub-division will work - but first, a responsible authority must plat all of that and make available to the districts the map sheets, numbered, with national land requirements identified and reserved, all digitized, with primary coordinate annotated.
  
  Then, when Kofi steps into the land office they pull the relevant Section map and validate online, using GIS, of the poor man's version, Google.
  
  Assuming you have some information on this item, we hope Kofi contacts you.
  
  
  Thanks.

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