Have you ever thought about the moral justification for which people consider themselves as land owners? I keep asking myself more frequently these days about what gives people the right to call themselves owners or lords over some lands. I also keep asking myself the reason for which some so-called land owners mistreat people over a mere piece or parcel of land! After all, this world does not belong to us, as humans and perhaps as our various religions tell us! As a Christian, I know that God created this world and so naturally, owns it. As humans, we are all mere custodians! A living proof of this is the fact that nobody goes to the land of the dead with his or her parcel of land! We came to meet it, and so naturally, we would go without it! Whether you owned several thousands of acres of land, you would only enjoy six feet after dead, confined to a small coffin! For this reason, it is sometimes annoying when I think about the hell people have to go through just to acquire a piece of land. In our various regions, cities and perhaps communities, there have been, and still continue to be, all sorts of land disputes and in some cases, various wars over the ownership and pieces of land. Consequently, several lives have been lost and yet, these issues persist. Families have fought themselves over lands, neighbours have fought themselves over land, and so have countries. This is an issue that would perhaps never die as long as man exists. It is therefore not surprising that in our country, we have a ministry for lands, and subsequently, a commission! That tells us all how serious this issue is! A lot of people have several stories to tell when it comes to the issue of ownership and perhaps usage of land in this country. The story usually begins with the entire draining process of acquiring a parcel of land. In these cases, the so-called owners are approached and a request made. The price of this land is then bargained; indeed, a very tiring process. After an agreement has been reached, the necessary documentation begins. The horror of this entire process is the additional expenses that are usually made notwithstanding the actual cost of this land. In the end, these so-called landowners have to be paid extra just to sign the legal documents! After the land has been handed over to the new owner, the real issues begin! People have bought lands only to find out that there are sub-owners, other than the original owners! That is the reality in most cities in Ghana, especially the capital! A particular piece of land can have several owners, all with legal documents backing their claims! How is that possible? That has been the plight of several people, and rather sadly, would continue to be, as long as the demand for land remains! Since the human race continues to grow, this issue will then, never die! It is also annoying, when land owners demand an additional payment, when their client commences construction on these lands. Why must I pay some monies to my landowner, after I have bought and paid for a parcel of land, from this same person? Sometimes, these unscrupulous people, continue to make demands on these lands, as long as this land remains; literally, forever! Often, resistance from these people is met with stringent responses; the use of land guards! People have been forced to vacate these lands by these unscrupulous young men, usually employed by criminal so-called landowners! Within our country, several people face these very problems! What have our laws got to say on these issues? What does our property laws state, if any? God, created this world, an all that it contains! He created the heavens, and the earth! He created the land and the sea! He created mankind, and animals! He created the plants and other creatures! Our lands originally belong to God! Man, has always been greedy, even to the point of making claims on what he can never create! As Ghanaians, our lands belong to us all! Of course, just as our history books tell us, the first settlers usually claimed ownership of the lands! Just as the popular saying: Finders keepers! But must it always be the case? Just because a person settles first at a particular location, should not give him or her the right to do as they so please! Most often, these so-called landowners are very rude and insulting to their prospective buyers! For most of these people, their only weapon is the fact that people are in need of land! Most people have to go through hell, just to obtain a mere parcel of land, and even after possessing it, this hell does not cease! It is often one demand, after another! The prices of these lands, to even begin with, are usually outrageous! In truth, we can never value a piece of land or perhaps, anything natural! We only give it a value which is a mere representation, just as we assign a value to a piece of paper, and then call it money! None can create land, a fact that most land owners forget! Our lands exist for our habitation! The earth is ours, and so are the ocean and the lands! It is our rightful property, by human law! Where do we go now, considering the huge sums that have to be paid, just to get a place to put our heads? The human animal has always been selfish! Our animal friends are better examples! Animals would fight each other over territories, but would not bother themselves over the price of a land; their natural habitat! And yet, human beings would fight and kill, just to claim ownership of lands! I am sure if it were up to some of these greedy people, they would even claim ownership of the sea and the sky! We should not lose sight of the fact that whatever measure we use; the same measure would be used for us! We all hold ourselves accountable! Indeed, whatever life we lead, we would give an account of it one day! We should be mindful of how we treat others in this life! In truth, no land belongs to anyone! Whatever system we have adopted, and adapted to, is to serve as a check. The systems that we live by, are to keep each and every one of us in check and in conformity! Imagine if there was no law on the ownership and usage of land; there would have been chaos! This, however, does not give our so-called landowners the leverage, and effrontery to misbehave! God, the supreme ruler, and rightful owner of that we so conveniently lord over, is watching us! This same story applies to those who rent our rooms and houses! All cannot build, and all cannot rent! Imagine if all could build their own houses, what would happen? Would our lands be sufficient, to even begin with? Of course not! Just as all of us cannot own vehicles, this is applicable! Imagine a country in which all citizens posses vehicles; would the roads be sufficient? Absolutely not! Bearing all this in mind, we should be careful of how we treat other people. Today, you might be the landlord, selling our parcels of lands, and renting out buildings and rooms. Tomorrow, things can turn around against you! That is the spice of life! None is a landowner! You are only a custodian!