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President of the Ghana Institute of Planners (GIP), Dr. Stephen Saforo Yirenkyi has admitted the recent floods that hit Accra is a disgrace for the various professional bodies involved in town and country planning.

He noted that city planning stakeholder institutions such as Ghana Institution of Surveyors, Ghana Institute of Architects, Ghana Institute of Planners, and the Chartered Institute of Building and among others have failed in the development of the country.

Dr. Stephen Saforo Yirenkyi’s comments come on the back of a suggestion by former President John Kufuor that these stakeholder institutions must play a crucial role in the planning of Ghana’s cities and regional capitals.

Speaking at the launch of June 3rd Fund spearheaded by Dr Zenator Rawlings, daughter of former president Rawlings, President Kufuor said had these development agents done their work well, the torrential rains that claimed more than 150 lives and destroyed property could have been avoided.

Dr. Yirenkyi, who is also the Vice President of the Commonwealth Planners Association, says he agrees with ex-president Kufuor.

“We are very good at drafting and designing the plan for the nation but implementation is our bigger challenged” Dr. Stephen Yirenkyi emphasized.

He said the association and its stakeholders will soon meet for a proper and resilient plan for the country, adding they will need the support of government to implement this plan and avert flooding in the future.

Dr. Stephen Yirenkyi, who also doubles as the Vice President of the Commonwealth Planners Association hinted that experts in the planning industry will now be taking their services to the doorsteps of developers to provide professional advice to avert future disasters.

Commenting on the massive demolition exercise across the capital by the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) following a flood disaster, Dr. Stephen Yirenkyi described it as spontaneous action by the AMA that needs proper planning.