Land surveyors in Ghana have been urged to move beyond traditional measurement and mapping and position themselves as providers of spatial intelligence to support national planning, development, and informed decision-making.

The call was made at the 2026 Annual Conference of the Land Surveying Division (LSD) of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) in Accra, held under the theme: “Advancing Land Surveying through Innovation, Collaboration and Stakeholder Engagement.”

Delivering the keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority (LUSPA), Dr Kwadwo Yeboah, stressed that, technological advancement must be accompanied by stronger collaboration among built-environment professionals.

He urged professionals to break down silos and work more strategically to address Ghana’s planning and development challenges.

President of GhIS, Surv. Emmanuel Kofi Cobbold, said land surveying remained critical to land administration, construction, spatial planning, environmental management and the protection of property rights. He underscored the need for surveyors and surveying firms to continuously build their capacity to respond to evolving technological and societal demands.
Chairperson of the Land Surveying Division, Surv. Ing. Dr. Tina Dzigbordi Wemegah, stated that, the modern surveyor must increasingly operate at the intersection of technology, governance and community engagement.

She explained that,surveyors must move beyond boundary definition to become key contributors to spatial intelligence and national development.

Dr Wemegah highlighted Artificial Intelligence, GNSS, UAVs, LiDAR, GIS, remote sensing and digital twins as some of the technologies reshaping surveying practice, stressing that technology should augment rather than replace professional judgement.

Chairman of the Conference Planning Committee, Surv. Prof. Prosper B. Laari, linked the evolving role of surveyors to challenges including recurring floods, illegal mining, unplanned settlements, indiscriminate land sales, land disputes and growing pressure on urban infrastructure.

According to him, many of these challenges have strong spatial dimensions and require reliable spatial information, coordinated planning and responsible land governance, with surveyors expected to play a more visible role in finding solutions.
Guest Speaker John Asiamah also highlighted the growing importance of data and Artificial Intelligence in transforming spatial data into useful intelligence for improved decision-making.

Meanwhile, Surv. Naa Abu Seidu Zakariah, Acting Director of the Survey and Mapping Division of the Lands Commission, outlined efforts to modernise Ghana’s geospatial infrastructure through the expansion of the CORS network and the strengthening of the national geodetic reference framework.

The discussions underscored the changing role of the surveyor, who is increasingly expected not only to determine where things are, but also interpret spatial information and help decision-makers understand its implications for development.

The conference continued with technical and paper presentations on emerging technologies, professional practice and new approaches to geospatial development. It will also feature the Annual General Meeting of the Land Surveying Division, where members are expected to deliberate on key professional and institutional matters shaping the future of the profession.