The Lands Commission on Tuesday, August 19, unveiled the Continuous Operating Reference System (CORS) Network to enhance data accuracy of fieldwork and survey operations across the country. 

The global positioning system (GPS) CORS Network would provide 24/7 nationwide geospatial data access, ensure real-time centimetre-level accuracy for fieldwork and boost revenue stream for the Commission. 

The GPS CORS Network is a collaboration between the Survey and Mapping Division of the Lands Commission, the Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana and the GMX Systems Ghana Limited, the technical partners for the project. 

Currently, 52 COPS Network stations are deployed nationwide and zoned into southern, middle belt and upper sectors. 

During the launch of the GPS CORS Network in Accra, Naa Seidu Zakari Abu, the Acting Director of the Survey and Mapping Division, said the deployment of the GPS CORS Network was a game-changer, and a bold step towards modernising Ghana's geospatial infrastructure and strengthening land administration across the country. 

He said the integration of GPS CORS Network in survey operations marked a significant milestone in Ghana's efforts to strengthen geospatial data infrastructure. 

"Today marks another significant milestone in our collective efforts to strengthen the spatial data infrastructure of Ghana.  

As the Survey and Mapping Division of the Lands Commission, in collaboration with the Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana (LISAG) and our technical partners, GMX System Ghana Limited, we stand committed to ensuring that our nation has a robust, reliable, and modern geodetic framework that meets both present and future development needs," Naa Zakari Abu emphasised. 

He noted that accurate spatial data was the backbone of any nation's sustainable development, which underpinned land administration, infrastructure planning, and natural resource management. 

It also aids in urban development, disaster management, and ensuring proper utilisation of emerging technologies such as autonomous navigation, he added. 

"For us in the surveying and mapping profession, the establishment and strengthening of the National Geodetic Reference Network is not just a technical exercise, it is a national necessity," he stated. 

He said further that: "The Nationwide Observation we are launching today focuses on tying over sixty (60) newly established CORS stations to the existing geodetic reference control points and running CORS. 

"This integration will consolidate Ghana's National Grid Coordinate System, providing a uniform, consistent, and highly accurate spatial reference framework for all geospatial activities across the country." 

The Commission intends to increase the number of GPS CORS stations to 100 by the end of this year to ensure nationwide coverage and operational efficiency. 

Dr Samuel Larbi Darko, the President of Licensed Surveyors Association of Ghana, in his remarks, was of the conviction that integrating GPS CORS technology into mainstream survey operations would align Ghana with global standards. 

He said: "It will also generate a reliable revenue stream for the Lands Commission through efficiency, trust, and value-added geospatial services. 

"We remain committed to densifying the network within the shortest possible time.  

“This success rests on strong partnership, sustaining and expanding the network and guaranteeing 24/7 availability of accurate data." 

He said he believed the system would ensure every surveyor and stakeholder benefitted immensely, enhance revenue growth for the Commission by building confidence in land records and enabling faster transactions.