Ghana’s local government system is facing a serious planning gap. The President of the Ghana Institute of Architects, Tony Asare, has revealed that out of the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), only 10 have architects.
He raised the concern during an interview on Thursday, July 2, 2026, explaining that the shortage has weakened urban planning and contributed to recurring problems such as flooding and uncontrolled development.
Asare revealed that a 2024 survey by the Ghana Institute of Architects, which covered nearly all regional capitals, found that just 10 assemblies have architects on their payroll.
“In 2024, the Ghana Institute of Architects conducted a survey across almost all the regional capitals. Out of the 261 assemblies, only 10 have architects,” he said.
He noted that the Institute has been engaging the Local Government Service to improve the situation by placing architects within assemblies, including through short-term support arrangements, while long-term recruitment is explored.
However, he admitted that those discussions have not yet produced strong results.
“The response hasn’t been too positive, but we are still working on it. We hope recent events will open doors for that conversation,” he stated.
Asare dismissed claims that Ghana lacks proper building regulations. He argued that the country already has clear rules guiding development and construction.
“Our building regulations are comprehensive. They specify issues like landscaping requirements, environmental considerations and other technical standards,” he said.
Instead, he blamed weak enforcement and limited capacity within local assemblies for the challenges in the built environment.
He explained that many assemblies do not have enough trained professionals, financial resources, or equipment to properly monitor development projects.
“It is not simply that somebody is refusing to work. Sometimes the assemblies lack trained personnel, adequate funding or logistics to carry out effective development control,” he said.
He added that some local authorities even struggle with basic tools such as vehicles needed for site inspections and monitoring.
Asare also pointed to Ghana’s land ownership structure as a key barrier. He noted that most land is controlled by chiefs and families rather than the state, which complicates planning enforcement.
He explained that when traditional authorities sell land without following planning procedures, local assemblies often struggle to intervene once construction has already begun.
“When chiefs sell land without following planning procedures, it becomes difficult for assemblies to intervene after development has already started,” he said.
He concluded that increasing technical staffing in local assemblies would strengthen planning enforcement, improve compliance with regulations, and reduce disasters linked to unregulated urban growth.
