Land disputes in Ghana: can the state courts deal with them?

Land disputes in Ghana: can the state courts deal with them?

Published Jan 2004

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Richard Crook, false

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Land disputes in Ghana: can the state courts deal with them?

Land is important for poor people in rural and urban areas for the security it provides. In Ghana, conflicts over access and use of land are increasing. Customary rules in the country link land ownership to social group membership. Land disputes, however, can be settled either through the law offered by state courts or within the customary system. In a situation of such legal ambiguity, what is the best means of protecting land rights? Which system do the people prefer?

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