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The Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA) has called for the harmonisation of all regulatory bodies and other stakeholders in the built environment into one umbrella, for the effective implementation of policies and the planning of the cities and towns in the country.
Currently, there are twenty two (22) regulatory institutions/agencies and other stakeholders in the built environment, but the GIA contends that their performance over the years has not been satisfactory, and therefore not conforming to the country’s poverty reduction strategy.
“Each of them has a role to play in the built environment of the country as mandated by law, but none of them has performed as expected. The situation regarding the built environment in Ghana today does not seem to satisfy the tenets of the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy (GPRS), nor the common sense approach,” noted Kwame Osei Agyemang, President of the GIA.
This was made known in Accra last Thursday at a press soiree organised by the GIA, to share with the public its findings in a research conducted into the built environment of the country. The research project was dubbed, “Addressing the adverse impact of non-enforcement of building and development controls.”
The development of the built environment has been guided overtime by a number of laws, some of which are the Town and Country Planning Ordinance (CAP 84) promulgated in 1945 and updated within the period 1954-1960, the National Building Regulations (LI 1630), 1996, the Local Government Act, 1993 (Act 462), the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana, and many other supporting laws, bye-laws and codes, most of which have not seen any major review over the time period.
Despite the existence and implementation of the above-mentioned regulations, the built environment was deteriorating at an alarming rate, especially within the urban centers, and also a number of rural communities which have experienced increased population growth.
To this end, the GIA says the regulatory institutions/agencies and other stakeholders in the built environment, needed backing to effectively perform in the discharge of their duties, and therefore proposed to the Government of Ghana (GoG) to accelerate the synchronisation of all the regulatory bodies under one umbrella.
“When they come under one umbrella, they will have a common vision and purpose in the development of the country,” noted the GIA President.
Regulators and other stakeholders in the built environment include the Town and Country Planning Departments, the Land Title Registry Department, the Department of Urban Roads, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ghana National Fire Service, the Factory Inspectorate Division, the Environmental Health Department and the Public Works Department (PWD).
The rest are Ministry of Works and Housing, Ghana Water Company Limited (GWCL), Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), the telecommunications industry, Energy Commission, Water Resources Commission, National Petroleum Authority, Ghana Tourist Board, Ghana Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) and the Professional Bodies of the Built Environment.
The eight (8) page document states that the problem of inadequate enforcement of the Ghana Building Regulations (LI 1630) and other development controls, has adversely affected the urban and rural landscape in the country.
According to the GIA, the perceived non-enforcement of the controls and regulations was also reflected in the quality of the built environment, which is characterised by the development of unplanned settlements, slum development and the disregard of planning and zoning schemes.
“This has resulted in the haphazard and amorphous infrastructural development, facilitating flooding and the collapse of buildings,” noted the report. According to the report, the disregard for planning schemes had further led to the sprawl of uncontrolled development of both urban and sub-urban areas, which it said, had contributed to the enormous pressure on the distribution of infrastructural services like water, electricity, road networks and poor accessibility.
The report stated: “The situation has created an upward surge in mixed development, which in certain instances, has a negative impact on health, and is often hazardous to life.”
The report therefore recommended that there should be harmonisation of the procedures for the Building and Development Control to develop one standard set of regulations for the assemblies to operate with.
That the Government of Ghana (GoG) should endeavour to create a one-stop-shop to house all stakeholders for the building and development control procedures for easy implementation.
That the various assemblies should indicate a deadline to query revisions to forestall delays, and these should be communicated to clients. That computerisation of all assemblies, involving every drawing submission for building and development control, to ensure proper record keeping of files/archival management.
That, until the laws are harmonised, and clear cut roles and responsibilities redefined, District Chief Executives (DCE’s) should not sign permitting approval documentation.
That, the GoG should endeavour to make it statutory for a periodic review of the National Building Regulations, LI 1630.
That, Chiefs/Landowners should be sensitised on development, and this should be included under the current advocacy programme being implemented by the GIA, and the Business Sector Advocacy Challenge (BUSAC) Fund.
The report further recommended that there should be structural plans for all major cities in the country, which should be implemented to the letter, with enforcement and penalties.
That Municipal/Metropolitan Assemblies should be encouraged to acquire properties after the expiration of leases, to ensure good correlation between
planning schemes and policy.
That the Assemblies, together with stakeholders within the built environment, should be mandated to develop a vision for the development of all cities/towns/villages in the country.
That, Regulations/Laws should have dependencies which will enforce all developers to conform
That, small plot development should not be encouraged in the development of the Central Spine/Core area, and this should be backed by law/regulation. That, the GoG/Assemblies should be encouraged to implement holistic settlement designs against the habit of dealing with individual building plots development, which provides comprehensive solutions for sanitation and drainage among others, and that the GoG should set up an oversight body, under the National Development and Planning Commission (NDPC) to oversee physical development.
The GIA however encouraged the GoG to build a Police Force to ensure that building does not commence without a permit.
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