The GUBA Diaspora Network, an affiliate of GUBA Enterprise organized a collaborative tour of the United Kingdom with the Lands Commission of Ghana.
The tour, dubbed ‘GUBA LandsTour2022’, took the two organisations to meet with the community in London and Bristol where engagements were held through The Diaspora Conversations, on land acquisition in Ghana, legislation, documentation, and registration.
Amidst great networking opportunities, the engagement was attended by members of the Ghanaian community, Caribbean community and online sections for those interested in acquiring private lands in Ghana for residential and investment purposes.
Commenting on the purpose and engagements at the events, Head of Diaspora Engagement at GUBA Diaspora Network, Jennifer Djan-Krofa said, “the reason why we brought the Lands Commission to the UK, is to engage with community physically, to meet the people, understand key concerns and to embrace and listen to the needs of the diaspora where land acquisition is concerned”.
“We left the events with great insight on the various processes and how to effectively purchase and maintain land in Ghana”, attendees commented.
“It is important that the Ghanaian diaspora understands the legal processes involved in land acquisition and how to lawfully acquire land in Ghana for relocation and business reasons. This is the major reason why these engagements are necessary particularly in the UK” Executive Secretary of Lands Commission, James Ebenezer Dadson explained.
He said the Lands Commission remains committed to ensuring that lands acquired by people in the diaspora go through the right channels in order to prevent fraud.
He asked that the Commission be the first point of call for all persons, in the process of acquiring land in Ghana.
The Ghanaian delegation also met with the Mayor of the Royal Borough of Greenwich Cllr Leo Fletcher and Deputy Mayor Cllr Dominic Mbang, Cabinet Leaders, various Councilors, and had meetings with the Town Planning Department Leads.
Neil Willey who is the Area Planning Manager and Louise Macionios, the Senior Principal Planning Officer of the Royal Borough of Greenwich were at the meeting
Mr Dadson presented Kente scarfs and copies of the Lands Act Legislation of Ghana to the various districts.
Town Planning managers of the Borough of Greenwich shared processes involved in registration, division and maintenance of land and how the UK is confronting some challenges with town planning.
The team also met with the Mayor for Bradley Stoke, Cllr Tony Griffiths, Deputy Mayor Cllr Franklin Owusu-Antwi, Councilors Sarah Pomfret and Brian Hopkinsons who are the South Gloucestershire Councilors for the ward of Bradley Stoke North, and other key officials responsible for land acquisition and district planning within the South Gloucestershire area.
Some key dignitaries who met with GUBA and the Lands Commission were, Head of Investment & Trade at the Ghana High Commission UK, Papa Kow Bartels, the President of Ghana Community Bristol, Samuel Annan.
Others including the CEO of PayAngel, Jones Amegbor, Head of Growth Joseph Lamptey, and Marketing Manager Daniel Dadson as well as Taptap Send Ghana Co-Founder, Prince Kwame Osei-Tutu supported the tour.