Building on land whose title is unsettled turns a legal question into an expensive one.
Land transactions can involve substantial financial commitments and complicated questions concerning ownership, boundaries, documentation and competing interests.
A person who intends to purchase or develop land should therefore take reasonable steps to understand the property and the nature of the interest being acquired before investing heavily in it. This is particularly important where there may be competing claims or uncertainty concerning boundaries.
Ghana’s Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036) provides a statutory framework governing interests in land and includes provisions concerning the protection of land and interests in land. The Act also provides mechanisms through which a person with an interest in land may seek protection against unlawful interference.
The practical lesson is that land ownership should not be approached casually.
Before you build, develop, sell, lease or make a major investment in land, understand what you legally hold.
This article is for general information and does not constitute legal advice.