Government urged to put in proper land administration system

Mr Prosper Afetsi, the President of the Foundation for Generational Thinkers (FOGET), said the poor land administration in the country would in future have a severe impact on food security.

He said most farmlands, particularly in the national capital and other regional capitals, were being “recklessly” sold to estate developers and individuals.

Mr Afetsi blamed the situation on government’s inability to solve the housing deficits to ensure infrastructure security for its citizens.

In a statement signed and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Friday, he said: “Already, Ghana is unable to produce enough food to feed her citizens, hence over 66 per cent of rice consumed in the country is imported alongside common vegetables like onions, tomatoes, carrots, garlic, cabbage and cocoayam leaves (kontomire) among other things.”

The statement said Ghana, upon her abundant fertile lands, had to depend on neighbouring Côte d’Voire, Togo, Bukina Faso, Niger and other parts of the world for its food supply.

It warned that if care was not taken, the country’s finances would be over burdened with food imported, which will increase poverty and unemployment and food prices.

“If you drive through the Ada stretch, you would be amazed how people have acquired farm lands previously used for producing okro, chilli pepper, tomatoes, onions, and maize among other things.”    

The statement, though congratulated the Government for its groundbreaking ‘Planting for Food and Jobs’ initiative, said poor land administration might affect the policy’s sustainability and suggested that government must endeavour to provide storage facilities to curb the wastage on the food chain.

It urged the Government to implement new land and housing policies to sanitise the system as the country is losing its forest reserve of about 2.9 percent per annum to illegal activities such as galamsey, tree cutting and charcoal burning.

Source: GNA