GhIS calls for passage of Survey Council Bill

Accra, Feb. 22, GNA - The Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) on Monday called on Parliament to expedite action on the passage of the Survey Council Bill to help regulate the practice of surveying in Ghana. Speaking at the launch of the Institution's Fifth Surveyor's week and International Conference in Accra, Mr Kwadwo H. Osei-Asante, President of the GhIS, said the absence of an elaborate legal framework to regulate the practice of surveying had created room for unqualified persons to hold themselves out as surveyors and practice as such.

He said this had created undesirable consequences such as land disputes, poor land use planning and inaccurate valuations and surveying advice, leading to the loss of individual and national resources. GhIS, which is affiliated to various international allied bodies, including the International Federation of Surveyors (IFS) and Commonwealth Association of Surveyors and Land Economy, would hold its Fifth Surveyor's week together with an international conference in Ghana from February 22 to February 28 under the theme, "The Surveyor: Partner in National Development."

Other activities to mark the celebrations include a charity donation to Mother and Care Orphanage at Dodowa on February 23, followed by the opening ceremony on February 24, a lecture and a durbar on February 26. The celebrations would end with church service on February 28 at the Ridge Church in Accra.

Mr Osei-Asante said foreign firms had capitalised on the lack of an effective legislative framework to regulate and monitor their professional standing, technological knowledge and ethical standards to practice in Ghana without regulation.

He said owing to the urgent need for the passage of the Survey Council Law, the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing had deemed it fit to adopt it for enactment not only to regulate and monitor the practice, but also to properly register surveying professionals and firms in Ghana.

Mr Osei-Asante said the roles of professional surveyors, though very crucial in the national development agenda, had been under-utilised, adding that the numerous land and city crisis would have been eliminated if the services of professional surveyors were fully utilised.

He explained that professional surveyors provided services related to and advice on the construction, management and acquisition of landed property.

Therefore their advice is required at all stages of the life cycle in the development process of the country.

Mr Osei-Asante indicated that with the present lacuna, the GhIS could not regulate and sanction any non-professional who decided to ply his or her trade as a surveyor and, therefore, called on Parliamentarians, civil society organisations, the media and the general public to advocate strongly for the passing of the Survey Council Act.

"This will not only help foster professional streamlining between local and international surveyors, technology transfer and technological advancement, but would also help position the local counterparts to meet the challenges that the emerging oil and gas industry would pose," he said. Mr Osei-Asante said the need for an Estate Agency Law was also important to regulate the activities of Real Estate Brokers and Agents with the view of improving the practice.

He said this would create a transparent and orderly real estate industry and ensure that estate agents and sales people were given the necessary training and properly licensed to operate professionally. "To this end, the Ghana Institution of Surveyors has initiated the Real Estate Agency Bill to establish a Board to regulate the qualification, activities and discipline of real estate agents, sales people and firms conducting business as estate agents."

He said the Bill provided for the training and licensing of real estate brokers and agents and required them to provide bonds as guarantees to clients in the property industry and also ensure that players within the field had the capacity and capability to handle clients with professionalism and further create confidence in the public.