Compensation gap alone doesn’t mean surveyors committed fraud – GhIS

The Ghana Institution of Surveyors (GhIS) addressed allegations of fraud involving compensation claims for road projects, stating that the allegations alone do not prove wrongdoing. This response comes after the Minister for Roads and Highways, Governor Kwame Agbodza, announced plans to report two quantity surveyors to the Economic and Organized Crime Office (EOCO) for allegedly inflating compensation claims for properties affected by road projects.

The minister claimed these surveyors encouraged property owners to reject government valuations and promised higher compensation, causing significant delays and financial burdens for the state. However, in a statement on August 21, 2026, GhIS maintained that it does not condone fraud, deliberate inflation of compensation claims, or any form of professional misconduct.

The institution affirmed its commitment to investigating any credible evidence of misconduct and referred such cases to appropriate statutory authorities. GhIS emphasized that a legitimate difference between a landowner's compensation claim and the government's valuation does not necessarily indicate fraud, citing various factors that could justify such discrepancies.

The organization stressed that valuers must adhere to professional integrity, ensuring accurate and fair compensation assessments supported by verifiable evidence, applicable law, and recognized valuation standards. GhIS also invited valuers to participate in an independent technical review of disputed assessments and assured that any allegations against its members would be handled impartially, following established disciplinary processes and principles of natural justice.