Cabinet issues directives to regulate transfer of public lands by public bodies

The Cabinet has issued directives to public institutions, public bodies, and public corporations regarding the transfer of public lands.

Cabinet has taken notice of the practice by public institutions to assume ownership of public lands allocated to them for use and transfer title in such lands to third parties without the approval of the Government.

Therefore in its quest to protect such lands to ensure that they are utilized for the purposes for which they were granted, the cabinet at its 76th meeting considered a report by the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor to that effect.

Owing to this, public institutions, public bodies, and public corporations have been directed to desist from leasing, subletting, assigning, transferring, disposing, or creating any third-party interest in any public land allocated to them without the express written consent of the president through the minister.

Public Lands include public lands that have been granted to public institutions for public purposes, whether by way of freehold, leasehold, or any form of grant.

The Minister for Lands has thus been directed to write to all public institutions, public bodies, and public corporations including public universities communicating the cabinet’s directive to them.

The general public has meanwhile been advised not to be party to any such transactions in respect of public lands without the prior written approval of the President through the minister responsible for lands.