GhIS elects new President

The general assembly of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) has elected Dr. John K. Amaglo (FGhIS) as its new president for the 2020/2021 session. This came off at the Institution’s 15th Surveyors’ week celebration and 51st Annual General Meeting.

Speaking after his investiture, the newly minted president of the institution paid tribute to the immediate-past president Surveyor Maame Ama Edumadze-Acquah (FGhIS) for her ‘steady’ leadership during her term under which the institution marked its successful 50th anniversary. He also recognized a prominent legacy of his predecessor which is an institutional anthem that is sang at all official gatherings of the institution.

Dr. Amaglo also used his speech to commend the efforts of the governing council, past, and the incoming, past presidents, and the immediate past President for keeping the “Institution on the list of professional institutions in the country”, and that 50 years of existence as a professional organisation “is no mean achievement”.

The new president of GhIS made a clarion call to members to support his administration in continuing to uphold the vision which establishes the institution of becoming an “internationally recognized professional organization committed to providing effective leadership and excellence in land resource management for sustainable development” evidenced by the “exploits and contributions” of GhIS members in national and international discourses.

He then also saluted the men and women of the institution who are serving at high leadership positions in organizations at the national and international levels.

On getting the Surveying Council Bill passed by Parliament, Dr. Amaglo said the institution has made some progress and it is now in the hands of the Ministries of Works and Housing and Lands and Natural Resources who are now championing the survey council bill together.

He is however hopeful about the said bill reaching cabinet in the “shortest possible time”, he said.

He used his speech to address some items which have been on the drawing board of GhIS for some time including a new surveyors office complex on the institution’s prime land, ensuring that administrative heads are recruited to “fill the vacuum” and run the GhIS secretariat efficiently. He also touched other issues such as introduction of stamps/seals to members, decentralizing of the institution and continuing with the outreach programmes to senior high schools.

He ended his speech by appreciating everybody who have supported him in diverse ways to reach this height and thanked his wife and children for their understanding since he become a member of the governing council 12 years ago.

Surveyor Dr. John Kwaku Amaglo was born on 11th April 1962 in Anloga in the Volta Region of Ghana. He began his elementary education at the Evangelical Presbyterian Primary School at Anloga in 1969 at the age of 6 and then to the Evangelical Presbyterian Middle School.

After passing his common entrance examinations, he gained admission to the Zion College in Anloga in 1977 for his GCE ‘O’ Level education and passed in 1982.

He proceeded to Suhum Secondary Technical School to pursue his sixth form education and passed his ‘A’ levels in 1985. He was admitted into the Bachelor of Science undergraduate programme in Geomatic Engineering in 1986 at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and completed in 1990.

He has a doctorate in entrepreneurship from Walden University in Minneapolis. Dr. Amaglo has been a member of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors since 1998 and has risen the ranks from fellow in 2009 to president of the professional organisation.

He is also a member of the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and by affiliation a member of theInternational Federation of Surveyors and the Commonwealth Association of Surveyors and Land Economy. He lives in Accra with his wife and 2 sons.