Challenges and Perceptions of Land Acquisition in Accra, Ghana: Finding Ways to Make It Safer and Easier

Abstract

Land acquisition remains a critical issue that poses threats to the perceptions people have on land matters in Ghana. There have been diverse perceptions of land acquisition systems in Ghana. Despite the availability of lands in Ghana, the numerous challenges coupled with acquiring land present extreme nervousness to potential land buyers. This study sought to find out the perceptions people have in relation to the current challenges coupled with land acquisition in Ghana and the ways to curb these problems. Based on reviews of relevant land acquisition documents in Ghana, a questionnaire and semi-structured interview questions were used to gather data from 201 respondents. The findings revealed that the perceptions most people held about acquiring land in Ghana have to do with the cost involved and institutional bureaucratic issues (weak policy implementations, delays in processing land documents at the lands commission, and extortion of monies by some lands commission officers from clients, etc.) associated with acquiring land. It is suggested that public education, adoption of a digital land registry, fighting corruption, and effectively enacting land policies should be proactive government measures to curb the current challenges associated with land acquisition.