Yes US citizens can buy land in Ghana, Alhaji Daud Sulemana Mahama, Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission, has stated that foreigners with a resident permit can purchase land without the use of a Ghanaian as a guarantee.
Can US citizens buy land in Ghana?
According to him, the Land Act of 2020 (Act 1036) allows foreign nationals to purchase properties without the need for a Ghanaian citizen to register the property on their behalf.
“A foreigner’s stake in land is limited to a maximum of 50 years,” Alhaji Mahama noted. He is not barred from purchasing property in Ghana because he is a foreigner.
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However, his interest will be limited to 50 years at a time, allowing them to acquire land in accordance with the rules of the land. As a result, we won’t be able to stop them, “he explained.
On Thursday, Alhaji Sulemana Mahama spoke on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show. Winston Amoah hosted him to discuss the Land Act of 2020 in detail (Act 1036).
He stated that if Ghanaians are not prohibited from purchasing property in other nations, foreigners are free to do so in Ghana as well.
“There are a number of Ghanaians living overseas who have amassed wealth.”
Alhaji Sulemana Mahama emphasized the importance of owning properties, including freehold ones, in those countries.
Land in Ghana is owned by tribes or the government, and the tribe varies depending on where you are in the country. Foreigners are unable to purchase land altogether and must instead lease it for a long period of time.
If you want to acquire land in Ghana, you should double-check who owns the property. Landowners in Ghana have a history of selling their land to several people.
In Ghana, there are four different types of land:
- Land owned by the government
- Land that has been harvested
- Traditional/stool land
- Land that belongs to a family or is privately owned
To purchase government or vested land, you must file an application with the Executive Secretary of the Lands Commission or the Regional Lands Officer, depending on the location of the land.
Tribal chiefs or other customary authorities own stool land (customary land). The 1992 constitution stipulates that this form of land cannot be held free of charge. Stool property, on the other hand, that was donated to families or individuals prior to 1992 is now considered private land.
Foreigners can lease agricultural, commercial, residential, and/or industrial land for up to 50 years with the landowner’s permission to renew the lease. Land can be leased for up to 99 years in Ghana.
How to buy land Ghana as US citizens
Non-Ghanaians should buy land directly from the developer, as the process may be a little more cumbersome for them. The safest bet is to go with a well-known real estate developer like MagnaTerris or PS Global. Always verify with the Ghana Real Estate Developers Association to see if the developer is registered (GREDA).
The most important thing to know is who owns the land and whether they own it entirely or have a mortgage on it. The relevant government office can conduct a land title search, and you can also conduct a valuation. This service normally comes with a price that is paid by the customer, but it is well worth the money.
Make sure you’re involved in every stage of the process whenever you’re dealing with real estate, and if possible, get an independent property lawyer to double-check the paperwork.
The lawyer drafts a Deed of Conveyance after the purchase agreement is signed. The land title is transferred to the buyer when this document is signed, and the buyer pays for the land at the same moment. The land title is been registered with the Secretariat of the Lands Commission. The process of registering a property takes about 382 days.