Land governance and access dynamics in Sekondi-Takoradi, Ghana

The past decade’s petroleum industry-related urban expansion has fueled a growing demand for land with increasing conflicts in Sekondi-Takoradi. With an emphasis on land conflict resolution processes, it is argued that whether conflicts are resolved by traditional authorities or the court, actors with advantageous combinations of economic resources, power, or state support, are likely to win. Characterized by legal pluralism, rapid urbanization and intensifying land pressure, land conflicts remain unresolved. Formal institutional mechanisms must be reformed and improved to safeguard the land interests of vulnerable social groups who often lose out in informal land access negotiations processes.