Beyond the statute: Institutional performance and capacity constraints in regulating land disputes in Accra, Ghana

Phidelia Sonia Kluche-Alade; Irene-Nora Dinye; Roshel Ayimaa; Romanus Dogkubong Dinye

doi:10.51867/ajernet.7.3.91

Authors

Phidelia Sonia Kluche-Alade Department of Land Economy, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana
Irene-Nora Dinye Centre for Settlements Studies, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8812-8919
Roshel Ayimaa Centre for Settlements Studies, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7159-9444
Romanus Dogkubong Dinye Centre for Settlements Studies, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.51867/ajernet.7.3.91

Keywords:

Land Dispute Resolution, Legal Pluralism, Regulatory Authorities, Ghana

Abstract

Persistent land disputes in Ghana have often been attributed to weaknesses in land legislation, although less attention has been paid to the performance of the institutions responsible for implementing the law. Guided by principal–agent theory and situated within the context of legal pluralism, this study examined the functional roles and performance of land regulatory authorities in mitigating disputes within the Accra Metropolitan Assembly and assessed the institutional constraints affecting their effectiveness. A critical-case research strategy and quantitative descriptive survey design were employed. The target population comprised Lands Commission officials, Accra Metropolitan Assembly officials, traditional authorities, legal practitioners and civil society representatives. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire administered to 150 respondents selected using stratified random sampling. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Analysis of Variance and correlation analysis. Overall functional performance was rated poor (mean = 2.17), while dispute-resolution effectiveness was also poor (mean = 2.24). Inadequate funding (mean = 4.32), poor inter-agency coordination (mean = 4.18), and corruption and unethical practices (mean = 4.12) were the leading constraints. Coordination had the strongest positive relationship with overall effectiveness (r = 0.428, p < 0.01), while perceptions of authority effectiveness differed significantly across stakeholder groups (F = 8.742, p < 0.001). Traditional authorities were most frequently perceived as effective (38.7%), whereas the Accra Metropolitan Assembly was least frequently identified (8.0%). The study concluded that persistent land disputes reflected institutional capacity, coordination and accountability weaknesses more than statutory inadequacy. It recommends stronger inter-agency coordination, protected funding, modernised land-information systems, anti-corruption oversight and structured customary mediation. The study contributes new empirical evidence by shifting attention from legislative adequacy to the performance of the institutions mandated to regulate land disputes in Ghana.

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