By Christopher Tetteh
Sunyani, Jan 27, GNA – The Ghana Institute of Planning (GIP) has called for proper planning of emerging markets to stem the recurring market fires in the country.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani, Mr James A Ata-Era, the Sunyani Zone Chair of the said markets required enough spacing to make it easier to attend to emergency situations.
He expressed concern about choked and crowded markets in the country, saying contemporary markets ought to be planned well to manage crowds and facilitate efficient coordination.
The GIP’s mission is not only to groom professional planners but also improve workable policies as well as proposing practicable solutions to national challenges.
In that regard, Mr Ata-Era said the Zone was collaborating with traditional authorities and other professional bodies to strategically “plan our markets with focus on long-term sustainability.”
Mr Asare Baffour Senior, the Vice Chair of the Sunyani Zone GIP also observed that land-use planning played an integral role in fostering sustainable urban growth and development.
He called for increased collaboration between local authorities, planners, traditional authorities, businesses, and relevant stakeholders in ensuring designing proper land-use policies.
A unified approach is therefore necessary to ensure that market spaces and urban environments are not only resilient to disasters but also promote economic growth and social development.
Mr Gifty Nyarko, the Sunyani Zonal Secretary of the GIP also underlined the importance of continuous public education and sensitization as well as effective community engagement on land-use and Planning.
“The planners’ responsibilities extend beyond technical design to the infusion of public education on effective planning,” she stated, calling for a proactive approach towards building community support systems for well-planned markets and other urban developments.
“The GIP is dedicated to organizing workshops and training sessions to raise awareness and strengthen the capacity of stakeholders towards collective and resilient cities building,” she said, and advised the public to take weather updates seriously.
GNA