A practical checklist of the documents and searches that protect a land purchase in Ghana, and the questions to ask before any money changes hands.
Land disputes are among the most common property problems in Ghana. Most of them can be avoided with a few checks before you pay. This guide covers what to ask for and why.
1. Confirm who is selling
Ask who owns the land and how the seller got the right to sell it. Land may belong to an individual, a family, a stool or skin, or the state. For family or customary land, the sale must be made by the people with authority to make it, such as the head of family together with principal members. Ask for identification and for documents that show this authority.
2. Get the site plan and check it against the ground
A site plan prepared by a licensed surveyor should show the plot's dimensions, coordinates and neighbouring plots. Walk the land with the plan and make sure the pillars and boundaries match what you are being shown.
3. Do an official search
Apply for an official search at the Lands Commission using the site plan. The search report shows whether the land is registered, who is recorded as owner, and whether there are other interests, such as earlier sales, mortgages or government acquisitions. Do not rely on photocopies of someone else's search.
4. Review the documents
Common documents include:
- An indenture (the deed transferring the land), signed by the right parties and witnessed
- A land title certificate, where the land is already registered
- Receipts and any earlier conveyances showing how the seller acquired the land
- Planning information from the local assembly, if you intend to build soon
5. Use your own lawyer
Instruct an independent lawyer to review the documents and the search results and to prepare or check the indenture. It is a small cost compared with the value of the land.
6. Register your interest
After purchase, register your interest with the Lands Commission. Registration protects you against later claims and is required under the Land Act, 2020 (Act 1036).
How Trinity helps
Our land team sources plots, coordinates searches and site verification, and works alongside your lawyer through to registration. Listings on this site show which checks we have completed. If a check has not been done, its badge does not appear.
