Land Surveyors push for stronger skills to drive development

The 2025 Annual Conference and General Meeting of the Land Surveying Division (LSD) of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) was held in Cape Coast with a call on land surveyors to enhance their competencies and reposition themselves as key actors in Ghana’s sustainable development agenda.

The conference, which was held under the theme “Enhancing Land Surveyors’ Competencies for Sustainable National Development,” brought together surveyors, built-environment professionals, policymakers, and traditional leaders to deliberate on the evolving role of the profession in supporting infrastructure development, urban planning, environmental sustainability and effective land governance.

Delivering the keynote address on behalf of Osaabarima Kwasi Atta II, Oguaa Manhene, Nana Kwasi Amoyaw emphasized the centrality of land to Ghana’s development.

He cautioned that without accurate surveying and proper governance, land could become a source of conflict and stalled progress.

“Land remained one of our most valuable resources, the cradle of our identity, the inheritance of our ancestors and the foundation of our future,” he said.

“The work of surveyors was not just a technical service but a pillar of national peace, order, and progress.”

In her address as Chairperson of the Land Surveying Division, Surv Ing Dr Tina Dzigbordi Wemegah, FGHIS, urged surveyors to embrace advanced technologies, interdisciplinary knowledge, and leadership roles in national development.

“We could no longer just be boundary demarcators and cadastral mappers; we had to be strategic enablers of policymaking, sustainable urban planning, disaster risk management and technological innovation,” she stated.

She stressed the need for capacity building, policy advocacy, and the adoption of geospatial innovations such as artificial intelligence, digital twins, and real-time IoT integration to strengthen the profession.

Earlier, Prof Prosper Laari, FGhIS, Chairman of the Planning Committee, welcomed participants and highlighted the importance of equipping land surveyors with modern skills to support Ghana’s Vision 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

“Surveyors’ ability to collect, analyze, and interpret spatial data supported informed decision-making across government and private sectors, enhancing governance, economic efficiency, and environmental protection,” he said.

The technical programme featured discussions on geospatial technologies, environmental impact assessments, climate resilience, legal and policy frameworks, stakeholder collaboration, sustainable land practices, artificial intelligence, renewable energy integration and ecological monitoring.

Organisers indicated that the conference provided an opportunity for reflection, knowledge exchange and innovation, while also fostering professional networking among surveyors and allied experts from Ghana and abroad.

They expressed optimism that the outcomes of the deliberations would contribute to strengthening land governance, improving infrastructure planning and positioning surveyors as central partners in Ghana’s sustainable development efforts.

GA

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