Fourteen staff members of the Lands Commission have been interdicted due to their involvement in Stamp Duty fraud.
The fraudulent activities were uncovered in May 2022 when the Commission’s Audit Unit identified discrepancies in the tax figures paid by property owners for the registration of their properties.
The fraud, suspected to have caused a tax loss of 100 million Ghana Cedis, is currently under investigation by the National Investigations Bureau.
Acting Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr. Benjamin Arthur, disclosed this information during the Executive Secretary’s Annual Briefing and launching of the Staff Awards Scheme in Accra on Friday.
While acknowledging the fraud, the Commission clarified that further investigations revealed an exaggeration of the amount.
The affected staff members are undergoing court processes, and internal disciplinary actions have been taken against them. Final disciplinary procedures are underway to determine their fate within the Commission, as stated by Mr. Arthur.
Simultaneously, disciplinary procedures are being initiated against other Commission staff for fraudulent actions involving the deletion and insertion of records, aiming to produce false search reports.
“It is important to state that while management will continue to provide the required job security for staff such acts of indiscipline and fraud will not be condoned,” he said.
“Therefore, management will provide the state investigation bodies the required assistance to weed out the bad nuts amongst us,” Mr Arthur said.
During the event, the Lands Commission unveiled a comprehensive five-year Business Strategic Plan spanning from 2023 to 2027, serving as a guiding framework for its operations. The strategic plan encompasses five primary goals, focusing on bolstering the Commission’s financial sustainability, implementing digital reforms, enhancing corporate image, and fostering competence and discipline among staff to elevate service delivery.
Mr. Benjamin Arthur, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Commission, announced the upcoming launch of an outreach initiative named the “You Deserve to Know” campaign. This program aims to educate the public on various aspects of the Commission’s operations, services, and processes.
The campaign will shed light on the Commission’s mandate, service delivery procedures, applicable service fees, digital reform platforms, and more. The objective is to improve the corporate image of the Commission, build public awareness, and foster trust and confidence in its operations.
In addition, Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Benito Owusu-Bio,outlined the Ministry’s plans for the year. These include the digital transformation of land administration activities, the completion and commissioning of the new Lands Commission’s head office in April, and efforts to enhance the Commission’s corporate image.
He expressed confidence in the leadership of the Commission, believing it is moving in the right direction.