In Ghana, property owners risk permanently losing their land if they fail to take action within a specific legal timeframe, according to the Limitations Act.
Surv. Amma Otubea Ansah-Koi Esq., Senior Lands Officer at the Lands Commission, has cautioned that under the Limitations Act, a person who neglects their land for 12 years—while another individual openly occupies it and undertakes substantial developments—may forfeit their legal right to reclaim the property.
“The law is clear,” she stated. “If someone possesses and improves land continuously and openly for 12 years without challenge from the rightful owner, that owner may lose their claim due to their prolonged inaction.”
This principle is rooted in the doctrine of adverse possession, which holds that long-standing, uncontested occupation of land can eventually override prior legal ownership.
It underscores the importance of active stewardship and vigilance over land assets.
She urged property owners to regularly inspect and manage their land to avoid inadvertently surrendering their rights through extended indifference.
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