WASHINGTON, November 15, 2018 - The World Bank today approved a $35 million International Development Association (IDA)* to support the Government of Ghana’s efforts in improving services and efficiency in the Lands Commission. This is an additional funding to the second phase of the Ghana Land Administration project (LAP2). It will help improve the effectiveness of the Customary Land Secretariats which is an important aspect of land governance in Ghana where an estimated 80 percent of land holders are under customary law.
“Both the World Bank and the Government recognize that LAP2 has more to do to really impact the lives of ordinary Ghanaians, which is the reason for continuing with this additional financing to complete the LAP2 agenda, so citizens can see a real impact,” said Henry Kerali, World Bank Director for Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone. “Ghanaians will receive better and faster services from both the Lands Commission and the Customary Land Secretariats and have more access to property and land information.”
This additional financing will help complete the base map for Ghana with aerial photography for most of the country and support the rollout of the Ghana Enterprise Land Information System (GELIS) with additional digitization of land records. The planned integration of land records for all types of land in GELIS will benefit the whole of Ghana as more clarity and transparency in land holdings is made available for planning, development projects, environmental management and other uses.
LAP2 will also support activities such as building public awareness and customer feedback mechanisms to ensure that citizens are engaged and hold the Lands Commission and Customary Land Secretariats accountable. The Government’s interest in engaging the private sector in land administration and management will also be supported under the project.
The closing date of the project is now extended to December 31, 2021. “This will ensure full completion of the LAP2 agenda to consolidate and strengthen Ghana’s land administration and management systems for efficient land services delivery,” said Victoria Stanley, Senior Land Administration Specialist and Task Team Leader.
* The World Bank’s International Development Association (IDA), established in 1960, helps the world’s poorest countries by providing grants and low to zero-interest loans for projects and programs that boost economic growth, reduce poverty, and improve poor people’s lives. IDA is one of the largest sources of assistance for the world’s 75 poorest countries, 39 of which are in Africa. Resources from IDA bring positive change to the 1.5 billion people who live in IDA countries. Since 1960, IDA has supported development work in 113 countries. Annual commitments have averaged about $18 billion over the last three years, with about 54 percent going to Africa.
