The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources is introducing a new premium payment framework that requires 70 per cent of the assessed market value of public lands to be paid upfront.

The remaining 30 per cent is to be spread across the lifespan of the lease as ground rent.

The new premium payment is part of the implementation of sweeping reforms in the administration of public lands

Alhaji Yusif Sulemana, the Deputy Lands Minister, who chairs the Public Land Review Allocation Committee, announced the measures at a news conference in Accra, on Wednesday

He noted that the reforms followed Cabinet’s approval of recommendations from the Committee that reviewed public land leases.

The reforms, he explained, were designed to strengthen transparency, accountability, and efficiency in public land administration.

Some of the key reforms included a revision of the Public Land Application Form (Form 5).

The updated form, he indicated, would ensure a single mandatory instrument for all public land transactions nationwide and be accessible electronically via the Lands Commission’s website.

Under the streamlined allocation processes, Alhaji Sulemana said no public land would be allocated without prior written approval from the Lands Minister, ensuring stronger oversight and alignment with national policy objectives.

Moreover,a reliable land market value for estates across the country had been compiled and would be published online to guide fair assessments and promote value-for-money allocations, he stated.

The Deputy Minister said a public land protection task force has been established to safeguard public lands against encroachment and unlawful development, operating within constitutional and legal frameworks.

He emphasised that the reforms were intended to enhance revenue generation for the state while ensuring that public lands are managed in line with Ghana’s economic interests.

Additionally, he disclosed that 67 per cent of the internally generated funds of the Lands Commission would be ring-fenced to implement the national digitalisation project to ensure efficient land services.

The Deputy Minister recalled that on February 16, 2026, the Sector Minister, Mr Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, announced the outcome of the review of 8,160 public land lease applications from 2017 to 2024, which resulted in the cancellation of uncompleted, non-compliant, and suspect transactions.

A temporary ban on allocations was lifted, but new strict reforms now require all land allocations to have prior ministerial approval.