Deputy Land has said tasked the board of the Eastern regional Lands Commission to use diplomacy and fairness to tackle disputes over lands in the region.

According to him, the land sector is faced with challenges of conflicting search reports and double registrations, illegal mining and chain saw operations, the rapid development of properties without regard to planning schemes, and conflict between customary landowners as well as boundary disputes.

Mr Owusu-Bio was speaking at the inauguration of a 39-Member board of the Eastern Regional Lands Commission at Koforidua.

Members of the newly constituted board will superintend over land administration in the region.

He urged members to collaborate with other stakeholders to fight illegal mining, encroachment on public lands; chain saw operations that had destroyed the environment, major water bodies, forest reserves, and the interruption of public projects.

He said, “my ministry will support every effort aimed at eradicating these challenges. However, one of the major tasks of the Regional Lands Commission will be to comply with the provisions of section 270 of Act 1036.”

The Deputy Minister urged the commission to develop an effective communication strategy to educate the public on the new Lands Act 2020 (Act 1036).

Mercy Addei Kotei, a Circuit Court judge-led members of the board to take the oath of allegiance and oath of secrecy.

Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Kwame Acheampong, stated that the inauguration of the board is a means to drive the government's policies.

According to him, government intended to support the commission to deal with challenges confronting the land sector.

He outlined some of the interventions such as; turning the lands commission into a truly digital organisation, ensure that the turnaround time for land registration is reduced, free up surplus and underutilized lands to boost economic development and reduce the housing deficit.

Mr Kofi Osei Danquah, Chairman of the board on behalf of members, acknowledged the role the Region plays in the land administration.

He believed that, for the effective implementation in the land administration system, the government's interest should be a priority.