Accra, May 31 GNA - Professor Dominic Fobih, Minister of Lands and Forestry, on Monday called for a collaborative effort between the public and private land surveyors to enhance national development.

He said considering the volume of work expected to be executed by Government surveyors it was imperative that well-qualified licensed surveyors would complement the effort of the Survey Department. Professor Fobih was speaking at the inauguration of a committee to Licensed Private Surveyors (LPS) in the country in Accra.

In the past, the Director of Surveys with the approval of the Sector Minister did the issuing of licences to private surveyors. The six-member committee chaired by Mr Jean Dotse, Director of Surveys, has been mandated to come out with the modalities on how to license private surveyors that would be relevant to professional bodies and the general public.

Professor Fobih called for transparency in the committee's work to address the concerns of both the professionals and the general public.

He pledged government's readiness to provide the needed support to enable them to perform their functions more effectively. The Minister suggested that a list of licensed surveyors in good standing be published in the dailies each year in addition to frequent interactions between the surveyors and the National and Regional Houses of Chiefs to reduce the numerous land disputes.

Professor Fobih also charged the committee to come out with some modalities to tackle the problem of the low level of licensed surveyors for the Northern Sector of the country.

Mr Dotse said the committee would monitor the performance of private land surveyors, diligently.

He said his outfit would not hesitate to sanction any practitioner, who would flout the regulations. 31 May 04