Kumasi, Sept 16, GNA - Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11, the Asantehene, has called for collaboration between traditional rulers and surveyors in the preparation of layouts of plots before they are released to developers. He suggested seminars for chiefs to enable surveyors to lay bare problems associated with the release of plots to developers without proper layouts.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu was speaking during a courtesy call on him by the Ashanti Regional Executive of the Ghana Institution of Surveyors at the Manhyia Palace to introduce the new executive to him. "We are chiefs because of the land we hold in trust for our people. Land issues have become disturbing factors in the country.'' Don't rush to dispose of land because the land is not running away", he told chiefs.

"We have to get planners and surveyors to give us proper layouts of the plots and said this is very important because it leads to sustainable development.'' Otumfuo Osei Tutu said some chiefs engage the services of unqualified surveyors to do layouts for them and this creates distortions.

''That is why some chiefs, surveyors and planners should be blamed for the numerous land disputes in the country.'' Mr Mark Kakraba, Regional Chairman of GIS, told the Asantehene that land areas in Kumasi and its environs had no layouts leading to numerous litigations and land disputes.

Mr Kakraba pledged the readiness of the institution to offer assistance to prepare layouts before chiefs release plots to developers. 16 Sept 05