Floss in Cadastre and Land Registration

Data model

There is no underlying “data model” in Ghana. Rather land information data lie 

scattered across the different LSAs in different formats, at different stages of 

 currency, and with varying levels of quality and standards compliance. In addition, 

there exist a number of other projects which to some extent also seek to modern-

ize the land records system but may not be appropriately linked to the develop-

ment of the LIS.

However, with the passage of a new Lands Commission Act, 2008 (Act 767) in 

2008 which makes provision for the establishment of a Land Information Unit (LIU) 

it is envisaged that a rationalization of data will ramp up in the near future. In the 

interim, the closest that the current data comes in terms of forming part of a func-

tional data model is in the adoption of the Social Tenure Data Model (STDM) for 

the LIS. This model is not yet deployed in any of the LSA offices and pending the 

outcome and approval of the project this may become a de facto data model for 

the land sector agencies of the Government of Ghana. However, it is not yet 

 operational and this still appears to be some way off.

The most significant land ownership data available in digital format are the sec-

tional maps used for title registration held by the Survey and Mapping Division of 

the Lands Commission (SMD). These maps show the delineation of land parcels for 

within a Land Title Registration District. A district, comprising one or more sec-

tions, is part of a region or area, and is defined (declared) according to the Land 

Title Registration Law PNDCL 152 of 1986 but with no cadastral description. These 

digital maps are for only the areas declared as compulsory registration districts 

 under the Land Title Law. These are in the Greater Accra Region (22 districts) and 

one district in the Ashanti Region. There rest of the country are not covered by any 

digital maps for cadastral purposes.

The Greater Accra region is zoned into Land Title Districts, demarcated into sec-

tional areas. Parcels within the section are surveyed by licensed surveyors. Each 

sectional area has an average of 1,500 parcels. The sections are further sub-divid-

ed into blocks of 30 parcels per Block.

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To date approximately 7,000 parcels have been surveyed and registered (or in 

the process of being registered) at the Land Registration Division of the Lands 

Commission.