Executive Director, Gender Lab, Patricia Blankson Akakpo, has called on government to ensure provisions in the new Land Act 2020 (Act 1036) works to the benefit of the citizenry.
According to her, there are provisions of Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) in the Act which talks about acquisition of lands, discriminatory practices, and provisions to protect the rights of women which ought to be propagated properly for it to be accessed.
Speaking to the B&FT after a sensitisation forum which saw 70 women from Potsin and neighbouring commnuinites in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region, Ms. Akakpo noted that government, through the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), can sensitise the public more on the provisions in the Act in order for the citizenry to access justice.
She added further that government must work to make sure the Land Act 2020 (10360) does not become just a document but rather one that can give solutions to issues regarding lands.
“It is important that government ensures that there is sensitization, especially using NCCE, because they are the ones that educate the public on their civic rights. I think it is important because if you don’t know the law, how can you access justice? You need to understand the law so that it will guide you as an individual to do the right thing and also be able to access justice when the need arises.
“They also need to put in the needed resources to ensure that the Act becomes a workable document, and does not lie down because in Ghana we are good at passing laws, but when it comes to implementation, it becomes another issue,” she said.
Ms. Akakpo further noted that the sensitisation forum is part of Gender Lab’s project dubbed: ‘GESI-Awareness’ with support from Global Green Grants Fund.
Touching on the reasons for the GESI-Awareness, Ms. Akakpo noted that this is to enlighten women on the provisions in the act that ensures their benefit, and to also make it easy for them to access justice when the need be.
“In 2020, Ghana passed the Land Act 2020 (Act 1036). In the bill, there are provisions of gender equality and social protection which talk about acquisition of lands and making provisions around discriminatory practices in order not be denied access to land depending on your gender or in a vulnerable situation. So, we felt it was important to create awareness in those provisions to help women secure their land rights,” she added.
