Abu Jinapor in a tête-à-tête with Otumfuo Osei Tutu II
The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has lauded the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, for showing exemplary leadership in tackling matters relating to lands and natural resources in the country.
The Asantehene said assuming office, the young minister has discharged his duties and responsibilities with lots of hard work, humility, truth and integrity and urged Mr. Jinapor to continue to lead by example to help him go far in his political journey.
The Asantehene made the remarks at the end of year meeting with the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs at Manhyia in Kumasi on Thursday.
The occasion was also to enable the minister to address the 39-member Regional House of Chiefs on government’s policies in the lands and natural resources sector.
After the briefing of the chiefs, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II called for an amendment of the constitution to make chiefs signatories to mining concessions and also suggested that traditional leaders be given equities in mining companies that operate within their areas to enable them to benefit from the natural resources on their land.
According to him, if the chiefs owned equities in the mineral resources, they would be the first to protect the resources and prevent the menace of illegal mining, popularly known as ‘galamsey’.
He tasked chiefs in his jurisdiction not to engage in multiple sale of lands and warned that any chief found culpable will be destooled.
Mr. Jinapor described the New Land Act 2020 as a composite law that encompasses all issues regarding land administration in Ghana.
He said Section 2 of the Act, criminalised ‘landgaurdism’ and grant a sentence of 10 years to anyone who engages in that “forceful conduct.”
The Act, he said, also stipulate the establishment of customary land secretariat across all traditional areas, adding that foreigners cannot purchase and own land for more than 50 years in the country.
The minister also announced the setting up of a committee to look into concerns raised by the chiefs relating to the entry of forest reserves by miners.
He said 80 per cent of the country’s forest cover since 1900 has been depleted and reiterated that government has currently banned reconnaissance, prospecting and mining in forest reserves and declared it “No go areas”.
The minister urged the council to embrace the Lands Act, 2020 (Act 1036), which came into force on December 23, 2020, for effective and efficient administration of land in the country.
He said the new law which revises, harmonises, and consolidates existing laws relating to land, has several innovative provisions that will promote sustainable land administration and management, and effective and efficient land tenure.
He urged the chiefs to continue to draw his attention to anyone or company prospecting in forest reserves, saying “prospecting for over 3 to 10 years is mining and must be stopped immediately.”
He also expressed gratitude to the Asantehene for the invitation and assured the House that his ministry will continue to collaborate with the council to address the challenges in the sector.
The Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, James Dadson said the commission is opening more district offices to help decentralise their services.