Ombudsman gives Lands Ministry 60 days to resolve complaints
Many grievances relate to delayed processing of land documents, unresponsive officials, and inefficiencies in the ministry.
The Office of the Ombudsman has ordered the State Department for Lands and Physical Planning to resolve 206 pending complaints within 60 days. The directive comes amid concerns over inefficiencies, unresponsiveness, and delays in the ministry’s operations.
A report by the Commission on Administrative Justice (CAJ) titled Status of Administrative Justice and Access to Information Report (2012-2024) revealed that the Lands Ministry has received 392 complaints since 2019, making it the second most complained about institution. These cases account for 6.88% of all grievances reported to the commission.
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According to the report, only 186 cases have been resolved, while 206 remain outstanding. Some of these complaints date back 25 years, raising concerns about poor service delivery within the department. Many grievances relate to delayed processing of land documents, unresponsive officials, and inefficiencies in the ministry.
In response, the Ombudsman has directed the ministry to act on all unresolved complaints within the given timeframe. It has also recommended the establishment of a transparent system that allows the public to track the status of their cases.
Additionally, the commission has called for a full audit of land registries to improve records management and eliminate inefficiencies. It further urged the ministry to align the digitisation of land records through the Ardhisasa platform with the existing land conversion manual to enhance its effectiveness.
Failure to comply with these directives could have serious consequences for the Principal Secretary for Lands.
"The Principal Secretary should process and resolve all the pending complaints within 60 days and provide a compliance report to the Commission on the same, failure to which the Commission shall give the office holder notice to show cause as to why he should not be declared unfit to hold public office," read the Commission's statement in part.
The directive adds pressure on the Lands Ministry, which has faced criticism for slow service delivery, corruption, and delays in processing land documents.
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