The Ghana Institute of Planners (GIP) has called for the immediate passage of the Land Use and Spatial Planning Bill into law.
The bill, according to the association, would, among other things, seek to control and regulate planning regarding building in the country.
It would also control and regulate the practice of the planning profession in Ghana.
These concerns were expressed by the President of the GIP, Dr Stephen S.Y. Yirenkyi, at a press conference in Accra.
The day�s meeting brought together the executive of the GIP as well as some members to discuss issues bordering on planning activities in the country and the ethics of the profession.
It was also used to launch the institute�s website, www.ghanainstituteofplanners.com, an online portal which contains its core mandate and additional information about its activities and operations.
Planning for a better landscape
Dr Yirenkyi said planning before building was key to the development of the landscape of every country, adding that a lot of the disasters that occurred in Ghana and elsewhere could be mitigated if proper planning was put in place.
Any civilised country needs planning, he said, and cited instances where people put up structures without seeking the advice of qualified and certified planners, saying that it was inappropriate.
The practice, he added, had led to unplanned settlements in many parts of the country, charging Ghanaians to change their attitude in that regard.
He was however quick to add that the lack of a legal instrument to regulate the activities of the profession was a major cause of the problem, adding that �professional ethics are sinking low because erring practitioners cannot be sanctioned.�
Absence of a legal framework
�The absence of a comprehensive legal framework to regulate the activities of the planning profession has manifested in the emergence of haphazard buildings across many parts of the country leading to buildings collaping, numerous cases of fire outbreaks, perennial flooding, growing number of slums and squatters as well as traffic congestion.
�The consequences are that unskilled personnel are allowed to man planning outfits and in the end produce sub-standard plans that give less than expected outcomes,� he lamented.
Dr Yirenkyi said the bill consolidated about 420 articles regarding spatial building, and added that it would deal with land allocation concerning the appropriate places to build in the country.
A member of the GIP, Dr Ohene Sarfo, said people had an erroneous impression that the institute issued permits for building and tended to blame it whenever problems occurred.
GIP as a secretariat for the assemblies
A member of the GIP, Dr Ohene Sarfo, said people had an erroneous impression that the institute issued permits for building and tended to blame it whenever problems occurred.
However, he stated: �We do not issue permits. We only serve as a secretariat for the various assemblies across the country.�
Even though the GIP is a registered body under the 1992 Constitution of Ghana, Dr Sarfo indicated that the various government agencies and ministries that were supposed to collaborate with it for effective planning in Ghana had refused to do so.
That, he said, was challenging, and called for an immediate passage of the bill into law.
Explaining how far the bill had gone, he said it was prepared in 2011 and presented to Parliament after which it was referred to the Attorney General�s Department for further consideration.
He called on the media to educate the public on the need for the immediate passage of the bill into law to help resolve most of the challenges involved in building at unauthorised places or areas.
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