First and foremost, I would like to thank ITC and OTB Research Institute for the Built Environment for providing financial support for this research.

I would like to express my profound gratitude to my supervisors, Prof. Jitske de Jong and Prof. Jaap Zevenbergen, whose expert advice, criticisms, and encouragement sustained my commitment to the ideas of my PhD and shaped the outcome of this work. It was a great pleasure and privilege to have worked under their stewardship during this challenging period of my life. I will never forget about my meeting with Jitske in ITC in March 2009, a meeting that changed the fortune of this research work. When all my hope was completely lost, Jitske managed to secure financial assistance for me to complete the remaining eighteen months of my research. Jaap, your timing to join my supervising team was impeccable and I am so fortunate you were a part of my PhD journey. I highly appreciate the supervisory contribution of Dr. Arbind Tuladhar. Working with Arbind gave me experience and also taught me a lot of lessons. I will also like to acknowledge the contribution of Prof. Paul van der Molen, who was my guardian until 2008 when Jaap came to take over. I am grateful to Paul for approving my initial proposal and giving me the opportunity to be the first PhD candidate in Land Administration Studies of ITC.

I wish to express my appreciation to the staff of ITC, particularly Prof. Martin Hale, Dr. Paul van Dijk, Prof. Yola Georgiagou, Walter de Vries, Loes Colenbrander, Petra Weber, Bettine Geerdink, Theresa van den Boogaard, Marie-Chantal Metz, Marion Pierik, Jacqueline Mol and Saskia Groenendijk, for the various ways they assisted me in ITC. Special thanks to Johan de Meijere (my grandpa), who gave me the opportunity to give some lectures to MSc students and to accompany him to Namibia and Tanzania for refresher courses. These refresher courses offered me platforms to present my research work to land administration scholars and practitioners. I needed such platforms, especially when I had no funds to attend conferences. I also thank Johan for translating the summary of this thesis into Dutch. Furthermore, I would like to express my gratitude to the staff of OTB (part of Delft University of Technology), particularly Dr. Mathias Lemmens and Monica Boen. From KNUST, I would like to thank Prof. W.O. Ellis (Vice-Chancellor), Prof. S.O. Asiamah, Prof. Quashie-Sam, Prof. S.K. Oppong, Dr. A.A. Duker, Dr. B.E.K Prah, Dr. Bukari Ali and J. Quaye-Ballard, for inspiring me and challenging me to strengthen my desire to succeed in this research.

This research could have not been done without the collaboration of informants, who answered my questions and explained what I did not understand. During my fieldwork in Ghana, I have encountered many friendly, hospitable people willing to share their life experiences, grievances and insights on the issues been investigated with me. Firstly, I would like to express my profound gratitude to the chiefs, elders and people of Basakrom, Kojokesekrom, Bwasibuokrom, Botokrom and Nkyenkyeman (all of Japekrom tradition area); Wrushie, Kalpohin, Jisonayilli and Vittin (all in Tamale traditional area); and Gbawe-Kwatei family, who made me feel welcome, and provided an in-depth view of land management matters in these customary areas. Particularly, I would like to thank the following people, who – despite their busy schedules – granted me several interviews to my understanding of land and chieftaincy issues in the three customary areas: Nana Amoah Aturu Nkonkonkia II (Omanhene of Mpuasu-Japekrom Traditional Area), Nana Afful Osman (Abusuapanin, Japekrom), Kumbun-Naa Yiri II (Paramount Chief of Kumbungu Traditional Area), Seini Fuseini Frank (Secretary, Jisonayilli Town Committee), Alhaji Mahama Mohammed (Chairman, Jisonayilli Town Committee), Nii Adam Kwatei Quartey (Head, Gbawe-Kwatei Family) and Solomon Afutu Quartey (Administrator of Gbawe-Kwatei CLS). Furthermore, I would like to acknowledge with thanks the roles played by Messrs Richard Bonah (OASL, Tamale); Isaac Justice De-Veer (former Regional Lands Officer, Tamale) and Hon. Issifu Salisu Be-Awuribe (DCE, Central Gonja). I am also indebted to Dr. Osman Gyasi (formerly of SARI), Rabiatu Mohammed, Kalim Alhassan (SARI) and Salim Lamini, Abdul Latif Mohammed, Ibrahim Abdul Wahab and Sayibu Osman, Yeboah Gabriel (YY), who understood what I was interested in, made me understand the traditional norms and courtesies, and assisted me in the interviews and participatory mapping.

The validation workshop organised in Accra would not have been successful without the valuable contributions of Messrs S.A. Atuobi (MD Afritipo Services) Samuel Amankwaa (OASL, Accra), Benjamin Quaye (LAP Planning Unit, Accra), Kofi Yeboah (UMLIS, AMA), Dan Agyemang Duah (OASL, Accra), K.G Baffour (Lands Commission, Accra), Abukari Abdullai (Survey Department, Accra), E. Addo-Tawiah (Survey Department, Accra), R.K. Esua-Mensah (Licensed Surveyor and Director, J.E. Frimpong Associates) and Ms Theodora Agbenu (Lands Commission, Accra). I thank the management and staff of Geo-Tech Systems Limited, especially Messrs Stephen Djaba, Emmanuel Kwame Awonyo, Stephen Fiatornu, and Miss Nancy Dzelu for providing their conference room and assisting me in various aspects of the workshop.

Two persons – Mr. Prince Gyapong and Florence Lamptey (Miss)– were vital in the success of this research. They accompanied me to Ghana for the fieldwork, where they assisted me in the data collection. They unrelentingly shared my enthusiasm for the research as well as working with the indigenous people. The several activities we undertook together made our field study in Ghana a great success and an unforgettable experience.

My many colleagues and friends in ITC have also highly contributed to my research and study in ITC. I will always remember the good moments with Dr. Peter Minang, Dr. Jane Bemigisha, Dr. Monica Lengoiboni, Zahir Ali, Naranchimeg Bagdai, Atkilt Girma (Ndugu), Armindo Cambule, Tagel Gidey, Abel Ramoelo, Anandita Sengupta, Divyani Kohli, Berhanu Kefale Alemie, Jeniffer Kinoti, Sejal Patel, Priyasmita Roy, Coco Rulinda and Maitreyi Sur. The Ghanaian community in Enschede was supportive, particularly, Samuel Ayim Aboa, Kwame Aviane, Emmanuel Gavu, Gertrude Sackey, Kwasi Asare, Samuel Tettey, Eric Adjei, Abdul Hannan Iddirisu Abu, and Auntie Bee's family. Hearty thanks to Mw. dr. M. Guichelaar (Medisch Spectrum Twente, Enschede) for her encouragement and medical advice. I cannot forget the Rikmanspoel family in Losser for the great experience since I got to know them in 1998 when I first came to the Netherlands. Bert and Tilda never left me out of anything that is entertaining. I will forever remember the various tours we made to Germany and other places in the Netherlands. Enjoying Bert's tasty soup prepared with “the chicken from the farmer” has always been my desire.

Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends, who were always with me, giving me moral and material support and the vital energy that was needed for this research. To Dr. George Adjei-Henne, Elizabeth Adjei-Takyiwaa, Theresah Adjei-Fosua, Mavis Adjei-Amea, Dorcas Adjei-Dakoaa, Gloria Adjei-Serwaa, Faustina Yeboah, Susanna Kyerewaa, Nina Lamptey, Agatha Nyame Djan, Dan Brefo, Awoyaa, Abigail Takyiwaa, Nana Nsedu, Maame Yaa, Maame Gyaase, Irene Takyiwaa, Ekow Insaidoo Arko-Adjei and Maame Serwaa Arko-Adjei, I want to say thank you for your prayers; the patience and the sacrifices you made throughout my absence for all these years. God richly bless you.

Anthony Arko-Adjei