1.0 Background
The Government of Ghana (GoG) approved its National Land Policy in January 1999. The policy is a clear demonstration of the GoG’s will to address the fundamental problems associated with land administration and management in the country. The long term goal of the GoG’s land policy is to stimulate economic development, reduce poverty and promote social stability by improving the security of land tenure, simplifying the process for accessing land and making land administration fair, transparent and efficient. In other words the policy is aimed at developing an efficient land market and fostering prudent land management.

1.1 On October 3-14 2005, the Development Partners and the GoG held a joint Implementation Support Mission (ISM) on the Ghana Land Administration Project (LAP). One of the principal objectives of the mission was to focus on issues and challenges that may affect implementation and suggest ways to overcome identifiable problems. The ISM proposed that the LAP should examine the possibility of establishing a small grants program (SGP) to support activities of civil society and non-governmental organizations (CSOs/NGOs) and other eligible grant recipients, as defined in Section 5.0, below, in institutional building, advocacy, accountability and participatory efforts in national land matters. The Land Administration Program Unit (LAPU) has examined the recommendation and is of the view that the SGP has the potential of facilitating and enhancing the delivery of the project.

2.0 Roles envisaged for the Civil Society and Non-Governmental Organizations
For the LAP to achieve its objectives and remain sustainable, civil society and stakeholder participation in planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation is required. This assertion is buttressed by the fact that over the last few decades a number of CSOs/NGOs have assumed a more central role in the delivery and championing of development services and activities to various socio-economic groups. To some extent this has enhanced the wellbeing of the beneficiary communities, groups and individuals. Under the LAP, CSOs/NGOs have a key role to play in engaging civil society in the implementation of the project, given that CSOs/NGOs are generally in a better position, thanks to their expertise, to reach the intended project beneficiaries. It is anticipated that the SGP will enhance and strengthen collaboration between all stakeholders as well as build upon existing partnerships.

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