Gov’t overhauls public land sale system with new 70% upfront payment rule

The government has unveiled major reforms to Ghana’s public land leasing framework, introducing a requirement for prospective buyers to pay at least 70 percent of a property’s market value upfront—a move aimed at maximizing revenue and ensuring transparency in state land transactions.

Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, announced the policy shift at a media briefing in Accra yesterday, explaining that the remaining 30 percent of the land value would be collected as ground rent over the lease period.

“The reform is intended to promote value for money and enhance revenue generation for the state,” Alhaji Sulemana told journalists. “It will ensure that public lands are allocated in a manner consistent with national economic interests.”

The changes follow a comprehensive review by the Lease of Public Lands Committee and subsequent approval by Cabinet.

Ministerial Oversight Strengthened

Under the revised framework, the Lands Commission can no longer allocate public land without prior written approval from the sector minister—a measure Alhaji Sulemana said would “strengthen ministerial oversight and ensure alignment with national policy objectives.”

The ministry has also completed a comprehensive review of the Lands Commission’s internal procedures, introducing clearer processing stages with enhanced verification mechanisms to improve accountability and traceability in decision-making.

Market Values to Be Published

In a move aimed at increasing transparency, the government has compiled reliable land market values for various estates across the country. These figures will be published on the Lands Commission’s official website, providing a transparent reference point for assessing premiums and determining value-for-money in public land allocations.

Public Application Lists Coming

Cabinet has also approved the publication of all public land applications—both completed and pending—submitted by individuals, companies, and organizations during the review period.

“These lists will be made available on the official websites of the ministry and the Lands Commission in the coming weeks, beginning with the Greater Accra Region on a region-by-region basis,” Alhaji Sulemana said.

Ban Lifted, Digitalisation Underway

The deputy minister confirmed that the temporary suspension of Lands Commission services relating to public land leasing, processing, and regularisation has been lifted with immediate effect. However, all transactions will now be conducted strictly in accordance with the new reforms.

Meanwhile, the ministry has initiated procurement for a national digitalisation of the country’s land administration system—a project Alhaji Sulemana said would “drastically reduce human interference and promote greater transparency, efficiency, and accountability.”

To fund the digital transformation, the government has approved 100 percent retention of the Lands Commission’s internally generated funds, with 67 percent earmarked specifically for the digitalisation project.