The government has launched a new framework to improve transparency in the leasing of public lands in Ghana. Speaking to the media on Wednesday, March 11, Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana, announced a 70% upfront payment requirement for public land leases.

He explained that the remaining 30% will be spread over the duration of the lease as ground rent. According to him, the new development is to boost state revenue while ensuring that public land resources are managed more efficiently.

“The Ministry, in collaboration with the Lands Commission, has introduced a new premium framework for public lands leases. Under this new framework, a minimum of 70 percent of the assessed market value of a public land will be paid upfront as a premium. The remaining 30 percent will be structured over the tenure of the lease as grand rent.

“This reform is intended to promote value for money, enhance revenue generation for the state, and ensure that public lands are allocated in a manner consistent with national economic interests,” he added.

The reform was developed through collaboration between the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and the Lands Commission. Last month, Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, revealed the termination of all incomplete public land deals carried out between 2017 and 2024 that did not comply with required procedures, while unveiling wide-ranging reforms intended to improve accountability, openness, and cost-effectiveness in managing state lands.

Speaking at a press briefing, the Minister described the decision as “a critical milestone in our collective efforts to strengthen integrity, transparency, and accountability in the administration of public lands, which are held in trust for the people of Ghana.”

Presidential directive and committee assessment

He indicated that on January 10, 2025, John Dramani Mahama instructed the Lands Commission to suspend all processes connected to leasing and handling transactions involving public lands.He explained that the directive was introduced to protect state lands from misuse, restore order within land management systems, and ensure that such transactions “deliver value for money to the State.”

Following the directive, a committee led by the Deputy Minister was established on June 5, 2025, to examine public land leases under the Government’s Resetting Agenda.

The committee reviewed 8,160 lease applications that were either completed or initiated between 2017 and 2024 across all sixteen regions.

These included:

4,176 Direct Allocations

2,799 Regularizations

19 Direct Allocations relating to State Bungalows108 Land Swap or Public-Private Partnership arrangements795 Subsequent Transactions

263 Fresh Allocations

The review revealed that a number of these allocations did not fully comply with the Lands Commission’s internal procedures, thereby undermining transparency and exposing the system to potential abuse.

Immediate Cancellations and Case-by-Case ReviewsCabinet has approved the Committee’s recommendations and directed their immediate implementation. The Minister announced that:

All uncompleted transactions within the reviewed categories have been cancelled, and affected applicants will be formally notified.Completed transactions will undergo case-by-case review, and any allocation processed without full compliance will be cancelled.

All uncompleted regularisation applications remain suspended pending a comprehensive review and standardisation of procedures.“For the avoidance of doubt,” he clarified, “a transaction will be treated as completed where a formal offer has been issued and accepted by the applicant.”

Both completed and uncompleted application lists will be published region-by-region, beginning with Greater Accra, on the Ministry and Lands Commission websites.

Completed transactions under review will be assessed against clear benchmarks, including statutory compliance, value for money, conformity with planning requirements, and enhanced disclosure to prevent misuse of corporate structures.

“These measures are not intended to unfairly disadvantage anyone,” the Minister emphasised, adding that affected applicants will be allowed to reapply under the new regime.

Major reforms introduced

The Minister outlined six major reform pillars.

Revision of Public Land Application Form (Form 5)

A key finding was the inconsistent application of Form 5 across regions, resulting in discretionary practices.The Ministry has revised Form 5 to serve as the single mandatory application instrument nationwide. It will be published online and made accessible for electronic submission.

Overhaul of internal allocation processes

The Ministry has also reviewed the Lands Commission’s internal procedures to eliminate inconsistencies and strengthen internal checks.

Under the revised framework, “no public land will be allocated by the Lands Commission without the prior written approval of the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources.”The move, he explained, reinforces ministerial oversight and adds a safeguard against unauthorised allocations.

Legislative backing

To prevent a return to past practices, the revised application form and internal processes will be incorporated into a draft Land Regulation currently under review.

New 70% premium framework

One of the most significant changes relates to land valuation.The Minister revealed that premiums for public land leases had historically ranged between 1% and 30% of market value, significantly undervaluing state assets.

Under the new framework, “a minimum of 70 per cent of the assessed market value of public land will be payable upfront as a premium, with the remaining 30 per cent structured over the tenure of the lease as ground rent.”

He further reminded State Institutions, pursuant to Section 235(4) of the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), that allocations confer only user rights and do not permit transactions without prior written ministerial approval.

Publication of market value data

To enhance transparency, the Ministry and Lands Commission will compile and publish reliable market value data for defined land clusters nationwide.

The data will serve as a reference for assessing premiums and ensuring objective, predictable decision-making.

A Public Land Protection Task Force will be established during the reform transition period.

The Task Force will operate within the framework of the Constitution, the Lands Commission Act, 2008 (Act 767), the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036), and applicable criminal laws.It will comprise personnel from: