# Ghana land administration and reform

> Developing situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/ghana-land-administration-and-reform
> Updated: 2026-10-27T12:10:55.000Z. Sources: 6. Developments: 2.

The Ghana Lands Commission has identified significant complexities in the nation’s land management, reporting that approximately 80% of land is held under customary ownership. This structure, which leaves only 20% as public land, has led to recurring issues including family disputes, contested traditional leadership, and the sale of single parcels to multiple buyers. Officials noted that landowners often sell plots without providing necessary infrastructure like access roads or defined boundaries.

In response to administrative challenges, the Commission is pursuing several reform initiatives. This includes launching legal action against lessees of state and vested lands who have defaulted on ground rent payments. As of August 2026, the Commission had collected GH¢40.7 million, achieving 90.4 per cent of its GH¢45 million annual target.

Modernization efforts are also underway through the expansion of the Enterprise Land Information System (ELIS), which has reduced land search turnaround times from one month to seven working days in certain areas. Long-term structural changes include the Strategic Land Administration Reform Project (SLARP) to address fragmented records and outdated maps, a review of the 1999 National Land Policy, and proposed regulations for the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036).

## Timeline

### 2026-10-27: Ghana Lands Commission initiates legal action against ground rent defaulters

Ghana's Lands Commission is pursuing legal action against ground rent defaulters while implementing digital reforms and a new national land policy to modernize administration and reduce service delays.

6 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ghana-lands-commission-initiates-legal-action-against-ground-rent-defaulters

### 2026-10-14: Ghana Lands Commission reports 80% of land is customary-owned

Ghana's Lands Commission reports that 80% of the nation's land is under customary ownership, a structure contributing to disputes, double sales, and administrative challenges.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/ghana-lands-commission-reports-80-of-land-is-customary-owned

---
Cite as: Ghana land administration and reform. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/ghana-land-administration-and-reform