Further to the creation of Six new areas and in step with Regulation 2 (1) of the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands (OASL) Regulations 2019, LI 2377, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, answerable for Lands and Forestry, has on Thursday, thirteenth October, 2022, inaugurated a well-furnished and digitalised Regional workplace for the OASL at Sefwi Wiawso within the Western North Region.
He defined that in response to the mentioned laws which supplies that “the Minister shall, in consultation with the Administrator, establish where necessary regional and district offices in consultation with the District Chief Executives concerned”, it has turn into essential to take steps and set up a Regional workplace of the OASL within the Western North Region.
In complement to the authorized foundation for the workplace, The Deputy Minister outlined the importance of the OASL to the individuals within the Western North Region saying ” the significance of the companies of the Office to the individuals can’t be over emphasised. Its mandate is to, amongst different issues; Establish Stool Lands Account for Stools, Traditional Authorities and District Assemblies into which shall be paid all stool lands income whether or not in earnings or capital, Collection of stool lands income, Disbursement of stool lands income and account to beneficiaries, Consultation with related public businesses, stools, conventional authorities, and stools and the Establishment of customary land secretariats”.
He applauded the OASL for the big efforts since inception, in optimising the mobilisation of customary land income to alleviate poverty in stool land-owning communities, making certain accountability and good governance in stool land income assortment, utilization and disbursement and offering an enough and succesful workforce to help the Office’s operations.
Hon. Benito asserted that latest world occasions have amplified the necessity for the federal government to look inside the nation to mobilise all obtainable income to attain the Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda, notifying that for over 25 years, the OASL has been dependable on this regard. “this is evident in how the revenue raised over the years has been used by Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies in development projects such as the construction of schools, CHPS compounds, markets, and community centres, among other things” He added.
He reiterated the necessity for stronger collaborations between conventional leaders and the OASL for income mobilisation as he believes collaboration helps deliver the wanted growth within the varied communities of the nation.
He additionally inspired the Traditional leaders to liaise with the OASL for the institution of Customary Land Secretariats (CLSs) as stipulated within the Lands Act, 2020, Act 1036 which he mentioned will assist streamline land administration on the native stage in addition to guarantee growth.
The Deputy Lands Minister urged the employees of this new workplace to work tirelessly to make sure that most income is collected for the advantage of the stools, and folks of the Western North Region, whereas suggesting to the Office that leveraging obtainable applied sciences to enhance operational effectivity and sustaining most transparency and accountability to the Stools and Government will assist mitigate a number of the challenges the Office is going through.
Hon. Owusu-Bio in his Inaugural handle made an attraction to all gathered to work along with the Goverment and the Ministry to deliver down the menace of “galamsey” which he famous is at present affecting income mobilisation on land all through the nation.
He hoped that that the present digitalisation of the operations of the OASL, will assist the Office to do extra on the subject of their mandate and achievements and pledged the Ministry’s dedication, to help to the OASL in addressing its challenges and enhancing its operations.
The Chairman on the occasion and the Paramount Chief of Sefwi Wiawso, Katakyie Kwasi Bumagama II in his submission expressed his pleasure and gratitude to the President and the Ministry for such honour completed him with the inauguration of yet one more workplace in his area.
The Omanhene appealed to authorities and the Ministry to revive that the authority to look at over Forest and different sources on lands within the custody of the Traditional rulers, including that that with out that authority they’re rendered handicapped and unable to wield the ability they need to to deliver indigenes participating in illegalities to order..
“You have made us handicapped to the problems of Lands and different sources. Please let the President know that he ought to give us again our energy to be the Overlords that we’re and these points will die off if not, we will do the most effective we will however nothing can come out of it as a result of they not respect the stools, what they concern is the police and that isn’t the most effective.
Due to the wanton distruction of Lands and waterbodies within the Region, Nana Bumagama sounded a warning that if mining corporations go to the area to have interaction in Community Mining Scheme with out his permission, even with licence, he is not going to permit them function on his land.
He appealed to the Administrator and hoped that the digitalisation drive will assist with measures to mitigate delays in income assortment and additional disbursement to the Chiefs as he mentioned the handbook operations make officers maintain on to the monies unnecessarily.
In her handle, the Administrator of Stool Lands, Surveyor Mrs. Maame Ama Edumadze-Acquah mentioned upon the growth of the areas from ten (10) to sixteen (16), her Office determined to additionally develop their areas of operations to create extra workplaces in step with the growth drive.
She famous that the Western North Regional Office comes after the latest inauguration of the Ahafo Regional workplace making it the ninth out of the 16 Regional Offices scheduled to be Commissioned within the coming months to deliver their companies to the doorstep of the citizenry and in addition to assist deepenoperations within the area as in comparison with the bigger Western Region.
Madam Maame Ama Edumadze-Acquah disclosed that the OASL at present in collaboration with GIZ is digitalizing its operations all through the nation which entails spatial identification of property homeowners /lessees to facilitate the cost of hire. “This is aimed at addressing the fundamental challenges in revenue mobilisation to help achieve the “Ghana Beyond Aid Agenda”.
She urged all to place shoulders to the wheel and make the Western North Region a formidable pressure to reckon with in relation to stool lands administration within the nation. “Together we will build a great country not just for ourselves but also for future generations” she concluded.
To comply with due protocol and out of reverence for the Paramount Chief of Sefwi Wiawso, Katakyie Kwasi Bumagama II, the Deputy Minister along with the Administrator for Stool Lands, the Technical Director for Lands on the Ministry and different officers from the Ministry and OASL paid a courtesy name on the Sefwi Wiawso Paramount Chief at His Palace, the place the inauguration ceremony passed off.
