The Continued Operation of the Road Appropriation (Ashanti Administration) Ordinance, 1902 in Ghana: Practice and Implications

The Road Appropriation (Ashanti Administration) Ordinance 1902 remains operational in Ghana despite the consolidation of land legislation under the Land Act 2020 (Act 1036). This paper examines the technical challenges arising from the Ordinance’s continued application in the Ashanti, Ahafo, Bono, and Bono East Regions. Analysis of current practice reveals four key issues affecting the land administration system: 1) dual disposition of land by stools and the Lands Commission within the 300-foot appropriation stretch; 2) dual payment of ground rent to the Office of the Administrator of Stool Lands and the Lands Commission; 3) elevated transaction and documentation costs for lessees; and 4) ambiguity in identifying affected parcels due to undocumented road diversions and limited institutional memory. The paper argues that these challenges undermine tenure security, increase transaction costs, and create inconsistencies in cadastral mapping and registration. It recommends a formal policy review of the Ordinance’s relevance, improved public access to historical appropriation records, and targeted education for lessees, surveying and land administration practitioners. The findings are relevant to policymakers, lessees, surveyors, planners, and land administrators working in regions affected by legacy colonial legislation.

Land Administration, Road Appropriation Ordinance 1902, Land Act 1036, Policy Analysis, Ghana

1. Government of Ghana. (1902). The Road Appropriation Ordinance (Ashanti Administration), 1902 (pp. 1–18). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

2. Government of Ghana. (1992). The Constitution of the Republic of Ghana. (pp. 1–179). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

3. Government of Ghana. (2020). Land Act 2020 (Act 1036): Act 1036 (pp. 1–164). [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

4. Kwakye, B., Gyamfi-yeboah, F., Afrane, E., & Abbas, J. (2025). Examining the impacts of socioeconomic indicators on sustainable customary land secretariats in Ghana. Property Management, 43(3), 360–377. https://doi.org/10.1108/PM-08-2024-0078 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

5. Kwakye, B., Mariwah, S., Edumadze-Acquah, M. A., Osafo-Osei, G., & Coleman, C. B. (2024). Land Management Committee, Land Acquisition, and Interest in Land. African Journal on Land Policy and Geospatial Sciences, 7(5), 2657–2664. [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

6. Kwakye, B., & Sasu, A. (2024). Determinants of sustainable customary land secretariats in Ghana : An economic modelling approach. Land Use Policy, 146(June), 107327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2024.107327 [Google Scholar] [Crossref]

• Ayurveda and Skin Health: A Comprehensive Framework for the Management of Dermatological Disorders
• Gender and Political Exclusion: An Analysis of Women's Marginalization in India's Democracy
• Safety Standards Compliance among Universities Employees in Nairobi County, Kenya During the Covid-19 Pandemic
• Cedi Appreciation Relative to Fuel Prices - A Machine Learning and Ancient Geomantic Approach