Formalizing Customary Land Rights in Ghana: A Novel Governance Framework for Sub-Saharan Africa

In Sub-Saharan Africa, insecure land tenure systems pose significant challenges to agricultural productivity and community stability. These systems often leave communities without clear land rights, resulting in vulnerability and limited capacity for investment. The Ghana Customary Land Secretariat (GCLS) established to address these issues, formalize customary land rights, to enhance tenure security, particularly for marginalized groups. This research investigates the Secretariat’s role in land governance, community engagement, and the integration of customary rights into formal legal frameworks. The review sought to address the issue of tenure insecurity which negatively impacts agricultural productivity and community stability. The objectives include exploring the role of the GCLS in formalizing customary land rights, assessing its functions, identifying challenges faced, and evaluating the overall impact on land governance and community engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa. The methodology employed a PRISMA approach in the literature review across various electronic databases This approach facilitated the gathering of relevant peer-reviewed articles and reports focused on customary land rights and governance in Sub-Saharan Africa. The structured process ensured examination of existing literature, allowing for an accurate assessment of the GCLS's functions and its implications for community engagement. The findings revealed that integrating customary land rights into formal legal frameworks significantly enhances tenure security and empowers communities to actively participate in land management. However, challenges such as inadequate documentation, persistent land disputes, and the marginalization of traditional authorities within formal frameworks were identified as significant barriers. While prior studies have examined customary land rights in Sub-Saharan Africa, this paper provides the first review of Ghana’s Customary Land Secretariat (GCLS), introducing a six-pillar conceptual framework to assess its governance impact. The study recommended that policymakers prioritize the recognition and incorporation of customary practices, and improve documentation processes to mitigate conflicts. This collaboration could promote equitable access to land resources, contributing to sustainable development and social justice in Sub-Saharan Africa.