Accra, Oct. 6, GNA – The Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) has urged the Government to recruit and deploy qualified architects and allied professionals in Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to enforce building regulations and professional standards to safeguard the integrity of private and public property.
This follows the commemoration of the 2025 World Architecture Day, declared by the International Union of Architects, on the theme: “Design for Strength.”
Mr Daniel Kwadjo Teye, Honourary Secretary of GIA, in a release copied to Ghana News Agency, observed that “only 10 out of 261 MMDAs have qualified architects.”
“The situation is equally dire for qualified Structural and Civil Engineers. This deficit in technical staffing is a significant risk to public safety and must be addressed as a matter of national priority,” he said.
He linked incidents of structure collapse and unsafe construction methods to inadequate development control and weak enforcement at the MMDAs.
“We, therefore, call on the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to conduct a thorough review of technical staffing within all MMDAs.”
“Design for Strength” compels all stakeholders, including developers, contractors, manufacturers, and regulators, to uphold the highest standards of safety and accountability. Architecture must not only inspire, it must endure,” he said.
Mr Teye added that poor sanitation, clogged drains, and related challenges, could be blamed on “failure of design and planning” in urban areas.
“Architects, working with planners and engineers, must integrate waste management systems into urban layouts, design public spaces that discourage indiscriminate littering, and advocate infrastructure that promotes sanitation and human dignity,” he said.
“Design for Strength means designing cities and communities that are clean, healthy, and truly livable,” he noted.
The GIA urged the government to invest in “systematic documentation, preservation, and restoration of historic buildings.”
“Ghana’s architectural heritage, from indigenous compounds to colonial-era landmarks, represents both identity and memory,” Mr Teye said.
“Yet, too many of these structures are deteriorating, neglected, or demolished in the name of progress, with some recent collapses even resulting in fatalities. “Design for Strength includes the strength of heritage, continuity, and national pride.”
The Institute highlighted the importance of flood-resistant design in vulnerable areas and passive cooling strategies to minimise energy demand.
“As we mark World Architecture Day 2025, the Ghana Institute of Architects reaffirms its commitment to structurally safe and resilient buildings, clean, well-planned and inclusive urban environments…”
“We call on MMDAs, allied built environment professionals, government agencies, private sector partners, academia, and the public to join us in creating a Ghana that is not only beautiful but strong,” GIA added.
GNA
Edited by Agnes Boye-Doe