The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of rebranding existing land policies as new reforms, criticising recent announcements by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources as misleading.
In a statement issued on March 17, the caucus argued that the measures presented as reforms are largely drawn from long-standing laws and initiatives introduced under previous administrations.
“The Ghanaian public deserves accuracy, not political theatre. What has been presented as reform is, in large part, a repackaging of existing law and standing policy,” the statement read.
The remarks follow a press conference by the Ministry outlining steps aimed at improving public land management.
According to the Minority, several of the key measures highlighted are neither new nor innovative.
The caucus cited the requirement for ministerial approval in the allocation of public lands, noting that it dates back to a 2021 directive under the previous administration.
It also dismissed claims that the use of Form 5 for land applications constitutes a reform, explaining that the process is already established under the State Lands Regulations, 1962 (L.I. 230), and cannot be changed without parliamentary approval.
On digitalisation, the Minority maintained that efforts to modernise the Lands Commission were initiated earlier, including the rollout of digital composite searches to ease land inquiries.
The caucus further pointed to the Public Lands Protection Task Force, stating that it was already operational before the current administration and had undertaken efforts to reclaim encroached state lands.
While acknowledging that governance involves continuity, the Minority said it supports the sustenance of existing programmes but rejects what it described as attempts to present them as new reforms.
The statement highlights rising political tensions over land administration, with the Minority vowing to hold the government accountable for what it sees as efforts to claim credit for past initiatives.
