Accra, Nov. 15, GNA - An international Geographic Information System (GIS) day was launched on Wednesday in Accra with a call on government agencies to use GIS tools effectively to solve the numerous problems facing the country.

GIS is a technology capable of integrating, storing, editing, analyzing and displaying geographically referenced information, which is useful to society.

The day, which was under the theme "Towards the Creation of National Knowledge GIS Database", was organized by GIS stakeholders in collaboration with Ghana-India Kofi Annan Centre of Excellence in Information Communication and Technology.

Ms Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, made the call when she chaired the launch of the day and said GIS as a system for creating and managing spatial data and associated attributes when properly used would change the face of the country from poor to rich.

She said Ghana abounded in rich natural and human resources and "I do not see why we should be experiencing poverty and all the problems associated with it".

The existence of a reliable information system is the key to planning resource mobilization and distribution; management of a country and its resources, its security, border control, banking, construction, mining, housing, communication, health and governance.

Ms Aryee called on GIS practitioners to collaborate with other institutions to use the available resources to maximize the socio-economic development of the nation as well as the West Africa Sub-Region.

"Collaboration is very essential for better management of information and knowledge to help each and every one of us to know what role to play", she explained.

She urged practitioners to develop a map that would translate planning in the areas of agriculture, mining, real estate development and forest resources for better management to avoid conflicts.

The panellists, who spoke on how GIS could be used in the areas of mineral exploration; health; human resource development; surveying and mapping, and harvesting of underwater trees in the Volta basin called for the need for all institutions to use GIS for development and creation of wealth.