The role of Customary Land Secretariats in promoting good local land governance in Ghana

In Ghana, Chiefs and families have over the years controlled access and managed customary lands based on the rules of custom in their respective jurisdictions. The Land Administration Project (LAP) sought to strengthen customary land management by establishing Customary Land Secretariats (CLSs) for recognized and organized land owning communities to promote good local land governance. The analyses show that the Wa Central Customary Land Secretariat (WCCLS) has done considerably well in land documentation and disputes resolution. However, inadequate cooperation and collaboration between the customary and formal land management systems in the area; rising number of individual landowners due to changes in the social structure; and lack of accountability are hampering good land governance.