Records Management Practice In Land Sector Agencies, Evidence From The Land Registration Division Of The Lands Commission In Accra - Ghana

One key aspect of land management involves proper information and records management. In the absence of appropriate methods of keeping records, there is the high likelihood of important land information to get lost, causing considerable adverse implications for national development. Indeed many of the land related conflicts are as a result of the absence of land based information management systems. The Lands Commission (LC) is the main state institution mandated in land administration in Ghana, which places them at the center stage of these discussions. This paper examines Records Management practices of the Land Registry Division (LRD) of the LC Accra office. It provides an empirically based account of the records management situation in the Registry, bringing to light ways of improving upon it. Data for the research was collected between December 2011 and January 2012. Primary data was gathered through field observations, semi-structured interviews and the use of close and open-ended questionnaires.Findings show that the LRD generates numerous records daily and most of these are referred to frequently for smooth running of every department in the Registry. There is an alarming rate of misplacement, slow speed of retrieval of parcel files from storage and sometimes unavailability of records when needed for decisions. The approach to records management by the LRD has resulted in a poor records keeping culture, which although highly noticeable has seemingly been ignored for years. This has contributed to lowering general standard of service delivery at the Registry.Based on these findings we recommend a Records Management Policy to be in place, computerizing work flow processes, a website to facilitate interface with clients, institutional coordination, cooperation and training, and also support from the GLAP Phase II Project. Adding to calls from various stakeholder groups on the need for good records management practices in LSAs.