The land market in Ghana has several weaknesses that need to be addressed to protect buyers, sellers, and investors. Land speculation, gazumping, and management failures continue to undermine confidence in the market.
Key Issues
Land Speculation: Speculators buy land at low prices and hold it without developing, driving up prices and making land unaffordable for genuine buyers and developers.
Gazumping: The practice of a seller accepting a higher offer from another buyer after already agreeing to sell to someone else remains common due to lack of binding early agreements.
Management Failures: Weak institutional capacity in land administration leads to incomplete records, delayed registrations, and overlapping claims.
Legislative Issues: Gaps and ambiguities in land legislation create opportunities for fraud and multiple sales of the same land.
The Way Forward
Ghana must adopt a unified land administration system that integrates customary and statutory land management. This includes digitising land records, strengthening the Lands Commission, and educating communities about proper land documentation procedures.
By Adombire Samson
