Story by Paul Mensah Nsor
The Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana (LiSAG) commissioned LiSAG new conference hall and guest house during the association’s 20th anniversary Annual General Meeting, where President Surv. Dr. Ing. Samuel Larbi Darko outlined the association’s progress, priorities and challenges as it seeks to strengthen its role in sustainable land management and national development.
In his opening remarks, President of the Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana Surv. Dr. Ing. Samuel Larbi Darko celebrated LiSAG’s evolution from a welfare-focused body into a nationally influential professional association that now shapes policy, advances practice and supports member development. He highlighted recent achievements by the executive committee since taking office in March 2025, including the development of the LiSAG Conference Hall and residential accommodation, rollout of modern surveying courses, targeted GNSS training programs, and the launch of a structured mentorship program for early-career surveyors.
Dr. Ing. Darko also acknowledged the association’s active welfare work and paid tribute to members who died over the past year, inviting attendees to observe a moment of silence.
While noting significant strides, the president was candid about persistent challenges. He identified problems with the lease policy and delays and inconsistencies in plan approvals—attributing some issues to external engagement with the Survey and Mapping Directorate (SMD) and other concerns to internal collusion and unethical behaviour among a minority of members. In response, LiSAG has engaged SMD to develop structured standards and templates aimed at streamlining approvals and restoring confidence in processes.
Looking forward, Surv. Dr. Ing. Samuel Larbi Darko set out priorities to consolidate progress and expand LiSAG’s operational footprint: securing strategic assets including land for regional offices, improving logistics and transport to bolster operations and welfare support, and strengthening regional presence and functionality. He urged members to actively participate in the association’s activities to advance LiSAG’s professional identity and impact.
Action items emerging from the AGM include finalizing plan-approval standards with SMD, commissioning key projects, reviewing the association’s scale of fees, and continuing efforts to secure assets and improve logistics to support members nationwide.
Speaking as guest of honour, Surv. Jones Ofori‑Boadu, Technical Director (Lands), at the Ministry of lands and natural resources conveyed warm greetings from the Hon. Emmanuel Armah Kofi Buah and praised LiSA’s collective effort in establishing the new facility, calling it a legacy that will foster collaboration, mentorship and professional excellence.
The ministry used the occasion to outline the Land Banks and Digitization project an initiative created to tackle longstanding challenges in Ghana’s land administration, including unclear allodial boundaries, lack of transparency, lengthy registration procedures and numerous land disputes. The project will be run by a dedicated Secretariat at the ministry and comprises five components aimed at producing up‑to‑date orthophotos and digital maps, digitizing legacy Lands Commission records, decentralizing services, and reducing turnaround times for land transactions.
Crucially for the surveying profession, the Ministry of Finance has approved retention of 100% of the Lands Commission’s internally generated funds, with 67% earmarked to finance the digitization agenda. Surv. Jones Ofori‑Boadu emphasized that the programme will rely heavily on local surveying capacity for tasks such as ground control, field completion, sectional mapping and systematic titling—work that follows aerial mapping and base‑map production.
Surv. Ofori‑Boadu urged licensed surveyors and firms to prepare by forming consortiums, investing in equipment and building technical capacity so they can be eligible to perform the extensive ground‑based work the project will require. He warned that firms without demonstrable capacity may not be engaged, and encouraged collaboration to meet expected demand.
Surveyors and land professionals were urged to prepare for a major national mapping and digitization programme.
Surv. Stephen Djaba, Vice President and Property Committee Chairman LiSAG, highlighting its significance as a symbol of vision, unity, and sacrifice. The building will serve as a hub for collaboration, learning, and professional development, hosting meetings, training sessions, and policy discussions.
The facility's inauguration underscores LiSAG's growth and its importance in Ghana's land governance and infrastructure development. LiSAG has been instrumental in promoting professionalism, ethical practices, and technological advancements in land surveying.
