MMDAs Choosing Quick Cash Over Planning Standards, Says Physical Planners Chief

Permit Money Over Planning Standards

Gifty Nyarko, National President of the Local Government Service Association of Physical Planners, has raised fresh concerns about how Ghana's Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) operate. She argues that many are more focused on collecting revenue from building permits than enforcing proper planning regulations, a practice that has led to weak development control across urban areas.

Speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show this week, Ms Nyarko explained that assemblies appear to prioritise the money generated from issuing permits rather than ensuring buildings meet approved planning standards. She noted that at a recent meeting of planning officials, the pattern was evident in major cities including Accra, where assembly interests lean heavily towards permit fees instead of sustainable development.

Who Bears Responsibility?

Ms Nyarko acknowledged that assemblies themselves must accept responsibility for enforcement failures. Ghana's planning laws require developers to obtain written permission before any physical development can begin. She questioned why illegal structures are allowed to stand when developers lack proper permits, highlighting a clear enforcement gap.

The concerns come as Ghana continues to grapple with uncontrolled development in environmentally sensitive zones, including unauthorised construction on waterways and in Ramsar-protected wetland sites. Flooding in urban areas has also intensified these debates about development control.

What Needs to Change

Ms Nyarko stressed that only district assemblies have the authority to issue building permits—no other department can do so independently. She called on local authorities to shift focus away from revenue collection and towards strict enforcement of planning laws, proper development approval processes, and public safety. Sustainable urban development, she insisted, is impossible without full enforcement of existing regulations and prevention of illegal construction before problems escalate.