Land Disputes and Conflicting Land-Court Judgement Resolution in Ghana: Perspectives of Regulatory Stakeholders

Abstract

ABSTRACT Conflicting land-court judgements is becoming a growing concern to researchers and practitioners. This study focused on identifying the main forms and causes of land disputes as well as gaining understanding of the rationale behind conflicting land-court judgements. A purposive sample of lawyers, land court officials and officials from Lands Commission formed the focus for an in-depth data gathered via individual interviews and analysed using the thematic approach. Contesting claims over land titles and boundary disagreements were the main forms of land conflicts resulting mostly from inappropriate surveys, double sales and poor system of land administration among others. Multiple filing, poor data management, lack of automated data system, and lack of coordination between land court and Lands Commission were some of the causes of conflicting land-court judgement. The study suggested the need for building resilient coordination between the Lands court and the Lands Commission to reduce occurrence of conflicting land court judgements.