The recent collapse of a shopping mall in Accra has brought a lot of attention to building permits in Ghana. It was determined that the building collapsed because the foundation was not strong enough and the deadly disaster could have been averted if the developer had obtained the necessary permits. Yet, many landowners are still circumventing the law. According to a survey conducted by the Physical Planning Department of the Sekondi/Takoradi Metropolis approximately 36 percent of the buildings in the area were built without obtaining the necessary permits. Ebenezer Dadzie Pantsi, head of the PPD has been cautioning developers to heed building codes and urged local authorities across the country to better educate landowners on the importance of permits.
Purpose Of Permits
Building permits are not designed to make it harder or more expensive to build a home in Ghana. The purpose is simply to strengthen the buildings and prevent disasters such as the mall collapse. Once a building permit is obtained, various governmental agencies see to it that the building is structurally safe. Some of the key elements in the process are:- Architectural and engineering design for approval from the Accra Metropolitan Authority
- Fire protection opinion from the Fire Department
- Inspections at the end of each phase of construction (foundation, floor level, rafters, roof, etc.) by the Building Inspectorate
What about demolition permits, are these a requirement before a building is demolished?
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