Squatters in Ghana Can Claim Land Possession After Living on The Land For 10 Years

• It is possible for squatters to claim possession of a land they have lived for 10 years or more according to Ghana's Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036)
• This kind of land possession is known as "Adverse Possession" or popularly referred to as "squatters' rights"
• For rightful land owners to still maintain the rights to keep their property, they should endeavour to develop their lands soon after purchase

According to Ghana's Land Act 2020 (Act 1036), it is now possible for a person who stays long enough on a piece of land to acquire title to the land.

Speaking in an interview, the Director-General of the Internal Audit Agency (IAA), Dr. Eric Oduro Osae, said that unlawful occupants on the land have the right to claim the title if landowners fail to develop their property within 10 years and also fail to pay someone to live there and take care of it for them.

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He said:

If you allow somebody to live on your land for more than 10 years whether the person owns it or not, while the person is on the land and the person is looking after the land for you, the person can claim ownership – that is the adverse possession

He further added that:

The law of immovable possession requires that there is an adverse possession clause and it means if you put somebody on a land, a squatter, you will have to tip him or give him something. If you pay him (squatter) then he is your staff to look after the land for you.

Dr. Oduro Osae underlined that if landowners don't develop their properties or don't pay squatters who are occupying them, they would need to pay the squatters a sizable sum of money in compensation if they want the squatters to leave.

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Residents Wail as Their Buildings are Demolished on 200 Acres of CSIR Land at Adenta Fafraha

In an earlier article, YEN.com.gh wrote about how the government demolished buildings on CSIR land belonging to encroachers. The demolition comes after the Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, gave the residents a two-day notice for unauthorized persons to vacate the property.

Victims affected by the demolishing exercise have maintained their innocence by saying that the demolition exercise resulted from the activities of land guards.

Source: YEN.com.gh