MP Wants Building Regulations Enforced

The NDC Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Charles S. Hodogbey, has called on the Town and Country Planning Department to enforce its building regulations in towns and cities, saying that siting of buildings in many of these areas did not conform to approved lay-outs of the department.

In a statement in Parliament Mr. Hodogbey attributed this lapse to the failure of the department's building inspectors to ensure that the right things were done and said they were only interested in issuing building permits and did not monitor the activities of land developers.

Mr. Hodogbey noted that in many other countries amenities and utilities such as roads, water, telephone and electricity lines were provided at buildings sites before any buildings were put up.

“In our case we let the buildings shoot up first before these amenities are sent,” he said adding that structures were therefore built on routes where those utility services should be.

He stressed the need for town and cities needed to be zoned because zoning helped to reserve spaces for play grounds and other social amenities.

He said while more efficient layout designs were being introduced to provide more access and ease road traffic congestion in some countries, Ghana still maintained round-abouts which inhibited traffic flow.

Alhaji Abubakari Sunman, (NDC-Tamale North) urged the ministry responsible for the environment to check the practice where reserved areas along lakes and other water bodies like the Weija Dam were re-zoned for real estate development.
urged the ministry responsible for the environment to check the practice where reserved areas along lakes and other water bodies like the Weija Dam were re-zoned for real estate development.

Joe Hackman (NPP Gomoa West) urged city planners to ensure the enforcement of building codes to avoid haphazard development.
urged city planners to ensure the enforcement of building codes to avoid haphazard development.

Abdul Rashid Pelpuo (NDC-Wa Central) said although the country had produced a lot of planners from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, district assemblies were failing to utilize their services.
said although the country had produced a lot of planners from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, district assemblies were failing to utilize their services.

He said the situation where people built at places earmarked for roads for instance, could only be described as lawlessness which ought to be checked.

Kwadwo Adjei-Darko (NPP-Sunyani West) noted that even though the district assemblies were at the highest level of decision- making in the districts, it was chiefs that had the crucial say in the use of land.
noted that even though the district assemblies were at the highest level of decision- making in the districts, it was chiefs that had the crucial say in the use of land.