Surveyors call for sanity-Into Real Estate BrokerageTo control and regulate the practice of surveying in the country. (24/02/09)

Story: Emmanuel Bonney & Jennifer Dornoo
THE President of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS), Mr Jonathan Abbosey has called for the enactment of laws to control and regulate the practice of surveying in the country.
He said although the Survey Council Bill and the Estate Agency Bill being championed by the GhIS had been drafted, they were yet to be passed.
“These laws when enacted will bring sanity into Real Estate Brokerage and also effectively provide legal framework for surveying practice in the country,” he explained.
He was speaking at the launch of the 40th anniversary and Fourth week celebration of the GhIS in Accra on Monday. The theme was “The Surveyor and the Millennium Development Goals”; A public lecture, donation to the Village of Hope at Gomoa Fetteh as well as a presidential ball and awards night were the events to mark the celebration.
Mr Abbosey urged district assemblies to engage professional surveyors to help them in their work since this institution could not be overlooked.
He said surveyors could help in the area of planning, development control, land acquisition, property management, cost planning and property rate administration among other things of the assembly.
Mr Abbosey underscored the need for local consultants to be made to partner foreign consultants in the execution of major government projects to ensure that projects were efficiently executed.
“Another major concern that needs to be seriously looked at is the engagement of foreign consultants and professionals by the state to handle major government projects. Although we recognise that international best practices must be brought to bear in our development agenda, it is unquestionable that we have competent consultants in this country,” he stated.
On government lands, he suggested that the government assessed the lands that had not been used by the state and were being encroached upon.
“Where compensation has not been paid and the land is no longer required, or in view of compelling reason such lands cannot be used by the state for the intended purpose, then the lands must be given out. However, care must be taken so that needless litigation and bloodshed will not ensue after such lands had been released, as there is a great potential of conflicting owners claiming same parcels of land”, he stated.
Mr Abbosey said the state could not effectively handle the issue alone and needed to be partnered by the private sector, adding that the GhIS was in the position to provide expert advice on the subject and was willing to collaborate with the sector ministry if involved.
He said although the construction of the Bui dam and oil discovery were two major projects dear to the heart of Ghanaians, reports indicated that many prospective investors had rushed to acquire lands surrounding the project areas for various reasons.
To speed up developments and to ensure efficient utilisation of land, he said, it was imperative that the needed intervention was made on the issue.
Mr Abbosey stressed the need for the nation to resolve to continually hold on to measures that would sustain and even enhance the country’s enviable values and also urged Ghanaians to face the challenges and hold high the flag of the country.