A high-level delegation from The Gambia’s Ministry of Lands has successfully concluded a week-long study tour of Ghana’s Lands Commission, held from September 14 to September 20, 2025. The visit aimed at drawing lessons from Ghana’s land administration system to guide the development of The Gambia’s first National Land Policy.
The delegation, led by Mrs. Ndey Marie Njie, Permanent Secretary at The Gambia’s Ministry of Lands, described the visit as “an eye-opener” that provided critical insights to shape her country’s land policy and address challenges in land governance.
The team was officially welcomed by the National Chairman of the Lands Commission, Dr. Wordsworth Odame-Larbi, who expressed delight at hosting the delegation and highlighted Ghana’s recent institutional and legal reforms in the land sector.
Surv.Dr. Benjamin Quaye, Head of Special Projects at the Lands Commission, outlined the itinerary, which featured presentations on land governance reforms, technical sessions, institutional visits, and engagements with academia and professional bodies. The delegation visited the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), the Commission’s digital records office, the Gbawe Customary Land Secretariat, and the Ghana Instituition of Surveyors.
Surv.Dr. Quaye also provided an overview of the Lands Commission’s mandate under the Land Act, 2020, and explained ongoing digital initiatives, including online portals for land searches and application tracking, as well as client service access units to improve service delivery. He acknowledged challenges such as fragmented historical records and encroachment on public lands but emphasized the Commission’s commitment to innovation and collaboration.
In response, Mrs. Njie praised Ghana’s openness in sharing its experiences, noting that The Gambia would invite the Ghana Institute of Surveyors to help establish a similar body in her country. She also called for technical support from the Lands Commission in setting up key institutional frameworks for land governance.
Key officials who engaged the Gambian team included Acting Executive Secretary Surv. Prof. Anthony Owusu-Ansah, Deputy Executive Secretary (Operations) Surv. Anthony Mallen-Ntiador, and Deputy Executive Secretary (Corporate Services) Mr. Emmanuel Adansi Bonnah, alongside directors of divisions and unit heads.
Surv.Prof. Owusu-Ansah commended the visit as a step toward deepening regional cooperation in land administration.
The delegation also paid courtesy calls on the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, where they were received by Mr.z Frank Oliver Kpodo, Director of Finance, and the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands (OASL), where Director Dr. Gad Asorwoe Akwensivie briefed them on stool land revenue management.
At LUSPA, CEO Dr. Kwadwo Yeboah and his team shared Ghana’s spatial planning framework while at the Ghana Institution of Surveyors, President Surv. Kofi Obeng-Ayirebi pledged technical support for The Gambia’s plans to establish its own professional institute.
Beyond the technical sessions, the delegation toured historic and cultural sites, including James Fort and the Kwame Nkrumah Museum, reinforcing the historical ties between Ghana and The Gambia as former British colonies.
At the closing ceremony on September 20, Dr. Odame-Larbi presented certificates of participation to the Gambian delegation, marking the successful completion of the week-long study tour.
The exchange deepened cooperation between Ghana and The Gambia in the area of land administration and offered The Gambia practical models as it prepares to implement its maiden National Land Policy.
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