Best practice in land administration project implementation: Challenging existing orthodoxies in customary land governance in Ghana
John Bugri
Modern land administration practices are crucial to attaining good land governance. In Ghana, this is more so because of the pre-eminent position and resilience of customary tenure in land governance. Thus, integrating modern and customary land administration practices in land governance requires challenging some existing orthodoxies. This paper assesses the role of the Land Administration Project (LAP-I &II) in the establishment of Customary Land Secretariats (CLSs) as a ‘best practice’ mechanism in challenging these existing orthodoxies. It focusses on oral land grants, marginalization of women’s land rights and the general lack of transparency and accountability in customary land governance. Questionnaires and interviews were utilized for data from 12 CLSs. A sample of 361 primary and secondary beneficiaries of CLS services was covered. The study revealed an appreciable progress in the documentation of land transactions and some improvement in women’s land rights and involvement in land related decision-making processes. Yet, predominantly male customary authorities were still the more influential actors in land decision-making, with negative implications for transparency and accountability. Also, immanent capacity weaknesses of CLSs due to poor staff remuneration, power struggle amongst customary authorities and high attrition rate of CLS staff did not augur well for enhanced land delivery services. The study concludes that the CLS is a vital structure for improved customary land governance and a third phase of LAP is needed for sustained efforts at improving customary land governance in Ghana. It recommends a legal basis for CLSs continued existence and operations and funding; and their capacity development for effective land service delivery. Civil Society Organizations, NGOs and government therefore have a critical role to play in this regard for improved customary land governance in the country.
Event: Land Governance in an Interconnected World_Annual World Bank Conference on Land and Poverty_2018
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