By Chisomo Phiri

The government has called for integrity and professionalism amongst land surveyors in discharging their duties especially at a time when the building of smart cities is underway in the country.

Minister of Lands Deus Gumba made the remarks on Thursday in Salima at the 2023 Surveyors Institute of Malawi( SIM) elective annual general meeting which was being held under the theme” The Role of Surveyors in Smart Cities Development – Key Features towards Malawi 2063 Agenda”

The minister observed that development of smart cities requires thorough feasibility studies and meticulous infrastructure planning.

He therefore, said it is imperative that the professionals uphold the highest standards of ethics, code of conduct, and professional excellence.

” We do not want issues of bogus valuations, unrealistic inflating of construction project costs and signing of fake or survey maps that you have not been involved in,” said Gumba.

In his remarks, outgoing SIM president Martin Chimangeni said among others the council has been strong and active in advancing the promotion and protection of the profession by working with the Ministry of Trade, Comesa secretariate, Sadc Country members, and other professions in the country as regards to the Mutual Recognition Agreements.

He said : “This is an ongoing process and very important to be keenly followed up as it has the likely consequence of the local professional safeguards being compromised.”

In brief, SIM was formed in 1975. It is a professional grouping that contains the following broad fields of activities; Land surveying, Hydrographic surveying, Geological surveying, Land economy and Quantity surveying in Malawi.