The National House of Chiefs has rejected recommendations by the Constitution Review Committee (CRC) to merge the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands (OASL) with the Lands Commission.
According to the House, the OASL should remain an independent constitutional body under the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, arguing that the proposed merger would undermine the management of stool and skin lands in the country.
In a statement, the House recalled that chiefs who participated in the Consultative Assembly before the promulgation of the 1992 Constitution specifically requested the establishment of the OASL due to concerns over the handling of stool land revenue.
The House explained that the office was created to ensure efficient management of stool land revenue, promote transparency and accountability, ensure fair distribution of proceeds, and support traditional authorities in land administration.
It further noted that the OASL was also intended to separate stool land revenue management from ownership, while ensuring that revenue generated from customary lands supports both traditional authorities and local development.
“The recommendation defeats the purpose for the establishment of OASL as a distinct agency with the sole focus on supporting and assisting Stool and Skin lands administration,” the statement said.
The House also expressed concern that merging the OASL with the Lands Commission could relegate stool land issues to the background and expose stool land revenues to risks associated with ongoing litigations and garnishee orders involving the Lands Commission.
It further argued that the Lands Commission has struggled to effectively manage state and vested lands under its control, adding that previous attempts to merge land sector agencies under the Lands Commission Act, 2008 (Act 767), have not produced the expected results.
The National House of Chiefs maintained that the argument that both institutions operate in silos is untenable, noting that existing laws already require collaboration between the OASL and the Lands Commission on customary land administration.
The House instead called on the government to strengthen the OASL by improving its operational capacity, granting it financial clearance to recruit more staff, and expanding its mandate to cover other customary lands.
According to the chiefs, the customary land sector controls about 80 percent of Ghana’s landmass and therefore requires a dedicated and well-resourced institution to manage it effectively. The House concluded by urging the government to maintain the current structure of the OASL.
“If something is not broken, why do you fix it?” the statement questioned.
Click to read the full statement
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