Takoradi — The Land Valuation Division (LVD) of Lands Commission has opened a Property Valuation Conference in Takoradi, in the Western Region.
It was organised on the theme: "Standardisation of property valuation practice and Lands Act 2020 (Act 1036) to facilitate work delivery."
Participants will discuss compensation valuations under the Lands Act 2020(Act 1036), revision of compensation valuation process, compensation and resettlement, policies of the World Bank and other development partners, the use of software in property valuation and stamp duty.
Director, Land Valuation Division (LVD), Dr Mrs Theodora Mends, explained that, as part of its mandate, the division was to hold an annual valuation conference, to review output, to ensure efficient and effective services.
This she said was to ensure government derived the best form of benefits from LVD's services in terms of revenue generation, including stamp duties and estate.
The Acting Executive Secretary, Lands Commission, Mr James E. K Dadson, said that, the institutions played a key role in financial management of the country.
He indicated that the Survey and Mapping Division, Land Valuation Division, Lands Registration Division and Public and Vested Lands Division, needed to work as a team, saying "we cannot operate in isolation."
"We must continue to work as a family and not in isolation. If you signed a document and it doesn't go for registration, the process is not complete. I will urge all of us that, we work together as a family of valuers. Let us know that we have our brothers and our sisters in the other divisions," Mr Dadson said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The National Chairman, Lands Commission, Mr Alex Quainoo, suggested that the conference should be compulsory for experts "because that is why you are professionals."
Mr Quainoo said: "It is important that we bring our ideas to bear in this conference. There is so much indiscipline across this country and you don't need to be an engineer, indiscipline is rife.
"If you look at the road corridors, there is encroachment and on road reservation and it's active encroachment and some of them have building permits issued by the assemblies. We need to talk to assemblies. How do you issue building permits for development on road reservations?"
Mr Quainoo noted that such acts of indiscipline and encroachments were dotted along the Accra-Aflao and Accra-Akosombo roads.
He said: "If you pick up tax, the Lands Commission is the third highest revenue generator for the government. So it shows how important we are; we collect all manner of income for the state; property and stamp duties. So we need to be diligent, we need to work as a unit."
Chairman of the Western Regional Lands Commission, Dr Isaac Kofi Sagoe, said LVD played an important role in Ghana's economy, especially "on rent and providing solutions to land issues and compensations."
