Story by Richard Kofi Boahen, Sunyani
A Senior Lecturer at the Civil Engineering Department of Sunyani Technical University (STU) Surveyor Engineer Dr. Samuel Boamah Asiedu, is calling for the introduction and scaling up of the use of biometric verification in land transactions.
He believes that this would prevent impersonation, fraud, and multiple sales and further ensure that only rightful claimants are allowed to transact land.
Surveyor Engineer Dr. Boamah Asiedu is also proposing the digitization and decentralization of land administration in Ghana since the development of mobile-friendly, interoperable land registration platforms allow real-time verification, simplify processes, and reduce bureaucratic bottlenecks—especially in rural and peri-urban areas.
He believes that instead of sidelining traditional authorities, the government should empower customary land secretariats with tools, training, and technology to improve record-keeping and transparency.
Legal awareness
He further stressed the need for public education and legal awareness, saying there is the need to launch sustained public education campaigns to sensitize landowners, chiefs, and prospective buyers on the importance of due diligence, professional surveying, and secure documentation.
He also called for the review and enforcement of legislative frameworks: Ensure that existing laws such as the Lands Act, 2020 (Act 1036) are enforced effectively, with clear penalties for infractions and incentives for compliance and emphasized the need for more investment in human capacity and institutional reform as a way of strengthening the capacity of land sector institutions like the Lands Commission and Survey and Mapping Division through recruitment, training, and improved logistics.
Book launch
The senior lecturer was speaking at the official launch of his book titled: “Securing Land Rights: Technological Innovations in Cadastral Systems.”
Dr. Boamah’s book provides an in-depth analysis of land acquisition, administration, and governance, with particular focus on Ghana’s land tenure systems. The work explores both international and local perspectives, aiming to improve understanding of land management challenges and propose effective solutions.
Some of the key areas discussed in the book are Land Acquisition in Selected Countries, Cadastral Foundations in Modern Land Administration, Customary Land Tenure System in Ghana, Causes of Land Disputes in Ghana, Integrating Biometric Verification in Land Transactions.
Throwing more light on the book, the author said he was encouraged to publish the book based on his personal experience and observations about the lack of documentation to land titles and the array of other avoidable bottlenecks associated with land acquisition in Ghana.
Uncertainties
“As a surveyor and researcher in Ghana, I witnessed first-hand how uncertainties in land ownership created barriers to investment, fueled conflicts, and undermined economic development. I also observed how technological innovation, when thoughtfully applied, could bridge traditional and modern governance systems to strengthen tenure security for all”, he explained.
According to him, statistics reveal that in Ghana, as in many developing nations, up to 80% of land remains outside formal registration systems, adding that land transfers occur through complex customary processes with limited documentation, creating environments where multiple allocations, fraudulent deals, and chaotic records flourish.
He said the human costs are immense as families are displaced, investments lost, development stalled by paperwork that cannot reliably establish who owns what.
“Through rigorous research and practical experimentation, it demonstrates how emerging technologies, particularly biometric verification systems and mobile communication platforms—can revolutionize land administration. The solutions presented here do not seek to replace traditional tenure systems but rather to strengthen them, creating bridges between customary practices and modern governance requirements”, he told the gathering during the launch, which took place at the STU library.
He also said: “For land administrators, surveyors, policymakers, development practitioners, and technology innovators, this work offers practical pathways to strengthen land rights protection. While the empirical research focuses primarily on Ghana, the principles, models, and technological frameworks presented are designed for adaptation across diverse contexts where legal frameworks and administrative capacity may be constrained.”
Sustainable development
The Senior Lecturer was emphatic that securing land rights represents not merely a technical or administrative challenge but a fundamental requirement for sustainable development, social justice, and economic opportunity, adding that it is his hope that his book contributes meaningfully to that essential mission.
“I believe that this book will be a useful and inspiring resource for a variety of stakeholders, including land administrators, surveyors, policymakers, scholars, technology entrepreneurs, and development professionals. I want to raise awareness about the vulnerability of tenure security for millions of land users, particularly in Ghana, where up to 80% of land remains unregistered.”
“But more importantly, I want to demonstrate that solutions do exist. Through rigorous research and pilot implementations, this book showcases how emerging technologies such as biometric authentication systems and mobile communication tools can be used not to replace traditional systems, but to reinforce and integrate them into modern governance frameworks. I want readers to see that securing land rights is not just a legal or administrative concern; it is a cornerstone of economic development, social justice, and sustainable growth.”
Motivation
Surveyor Engineer Boamah Asiedu says this book was inspired by deep personal and professional encounters in the field, especially moments like one I experienced in a rural community outside Kumasi where he met an elderly farmer, Kwame Nyamekye, who proudly showed him (the author) his cocoa farmland, which his family had cultivated for generations.
He recounts that despite the farmer’s deep-rooted connection to the land; he had no formal documentation confirming ownership. His entire claim relied on local knowledge and community recognition, which are increasingly under threat from urbanization, population growth, and changing economic dynamics.
“As a surveyor and researcher, I have repeatedly witnessed how the lack of formal land documentation fuels disputes, undermines investment, and hinders development. I also observed that traditional land governance systems rich in culture and social capital are struggling to keep pace with modern economic and legal pressures. This motivated me to explore and share how technological innovation, particularly biometric verification and mobile platforms, could help bridge this gap. I felt compelled to contribute to a solution by documenting both the challenges and the promising pathways for reform in land administration in Ghana.”
It is Surveyor Engineer Boamah Asiedu wish that policymakers recognize that insecure land tenure is both a technical and socio-cultural challenge. Therefore, any intervention must be holistic and inclusive.
At the launch to lend their support were the several lecturers, administrative staff and students of STU as well as the Bono Regional Surveyor, Alhassan Nantogmah and Nana Afia Pomaa Kyekyeku, the Adontenhemaa of Fiapre.
