Accra: 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.'
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Daniel Kwadjo Teye, Honourary Secretary of GIA, in a release observed that only 10 out of 261 MMDAs have qualified architects. He highlighted that the situation is equally dire for qualified Structural and Civil Engineers, posing a significant risk to public safety that must be addressed as a matter of national priority. Mr. Teye linked incidents of structure collapse and unsafe construction methods to inadequate development control and weak enforcement at the MMDAs.
The GIA called on the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to conduct a thorough review of technical staffing within all MMDAs. The theme 'Design for Strength' compels all stakeholders, including developers, contractors, manufacturers, and regulators, to uphold the highest standards of safety and accountability.
Mr. Teye emphasized that architecture must not only inspire but also endure. He attributed poor sanitation and clogged drains to a failure of design and planning in urban areas. He stressed the need for architects, working with planners and engineers, to integrate waste management systems into urban layouts and design public spaces that discourage indiscriminate littering.
The GIA also urged the government to invest in the systematic documentation, preservation, and restoration of historic buildings. Mr. Teye noted that Ghana's architectural heritage, from indigenous compounds to colonial-era landmarks, represents both identity and memory. However, many of these structures are deteriorating, neglected, or demolished in the name of progress, with some recent collapses even resulting in fatalities.
The Institute highlighted the importance of flood-resistant design in vulnerable areas and passive cooling strategies to minimize energy demand. As World Architecture Day 2025 is marked, the Ghana Institute of Architects reaffirms its commitment to structurally safe and resilient buildings, clean, well-planned, and inclusive urban environments. The GIA called on MMDAs, allied built environment professionals, government agencies, private sector partners, academia, and the public to join in creating a Ghana that is not only beautiful but strong.
