Surveyor Isaac Larbie
MEMBER OF Parliament for Ahafo Ano South-East, Surveyor Francis Manu Adabor, has urged members of the Land Surveying Division (LSD) of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) to embrace geospatial technology as an essential component of natural resource management.
He pointed out that with geospatial solutions, they can advance land and property management rights, improve the records, and come up with solutions against encroachment.
Speaking at the annual seminar themed, “Smart thinking – geospatial solutions for Ghana’s digitized economy “Mr. Manu Adabor indicated that, “the use of geospatial technology allows for holistic analysis, especially when digitalization of land records has empowered the citizenry, which has improved the revenue of the Lands Commission.”
He stated that geospatial technology is relevant in Ghana’s economy and should be properly appreciated in the various planning activities by various institutions and agencies.
He recommended that the GhIS geospatial intelligence forms a core part of any academic curriculum in most programmes concerning lands and natural resource management adding that ministries, departments and agencies in charge of natural resources management should set up GhIS geospatial units that can help policy makers to make informed decisions.
The Chairman of the Land Surveying Division (LSD) of GhIS, Surv. Isaac Larbie, noted that Ghana’s digitalization drive has become the bedrock of many developmental needs in the economy, hence the need for land surveyors to think outside the box, be innovative and explore smart ways of integrating into the digital space of this economy.
Surv. Larbie said the Surveying and Mapping Profession fully identifies with the aspirations of the government under the Ministry of Communication and Digitalization (MoCD) to bring developments closer to the people by ensuring the convergence of communication technologies to facilitate the promotion of a viable integrated national development process within a global setting.
Northern Regional Minister, Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu noted that geospatial data is at the heart of national planning and resource allocation, adding that these are becoming signposts for poverty alleviation and used to improve social services, create jobs, and help policy makers and planner to make informed decisions about land use, resource management and infrastructural development.
A Business Desk Report