Back to Latest Briefings
June 14, 2026
AI-Enhanced
Gov’t urged to strengthen capacity of MMDAs to improve building permit regulation
Money
Policy
Opportunity
Growth
Key Points
- The President of the Ghana Chamber of Construction Industry, Emmanuel Cherry, urges the government to bolster the capacity of MMDAs for effective regulation of physical development and building permit processing.
- He attributes MMDAs' ineffectiveness to inadequate staffing, lack of logistics, and delayed fund releases, hindering planning enforcement and supervision.
- The Chamber warns that these operational constraints could foster irregularities in building permit acquisition and lead to disorderly development.
- Nicholas Frimpong Boateng of Nickseth Construction Company highlighted delayed payments from both government and private clients as a significant challenge for the construction industry.
- Frimpong Boateng also encouraged construction firms to prioritize innovation, healthy competition, and high professional standards to drive industry growth.
Why This Matters
This article highlights critical systemic issues affecting Ghana's construction sector and urban development. Weak regulatory capacity at the MMDA level can lead to unsafe structures, unplanned settlements, and corruption, directly impacting public safety and quality of life. Furthermore, delayed payments to contractors threaten the financial stability of businesses, impeding crucial infrastructure projects and overall economic growth.
Read Full Article
View original sourceRelated Articles
October 29, 2026
Asene farmers demand compensation for farms destroyed by Accra-Kumasi expressway
- Over 200 farmers at Akyem Asene in the Eastern Region are appealing to the government for adequate compensation for farms destroyed for the new Accra-Kumasi expressway.
- Affected properties include cocoa, food crop, and oil palm farms, which were their main sources of livelihood.
- The farmers staged a demonstration, detailing economic hardships, including difficulty meeting daily needs and paying school fees, since their farms were destroyed over eight months ago.
- Leaders highlighted significant financial losses, with one farmer, Da Costa Asamoah, losing an estimated GH¢40,000 annual income from his 8-acre cocoa farm.
- The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) confirmed that some farms have not yet been measured, explaining the delay by an increase in the expressway's width from 120 metres to 150 metres, affecting additional farmers.
October 29, 2026
NAIMOS begins community engagements in galamsey-prone areas
- The National Anti-Illegal Mining Operations Secretariat (NAIMOS) has launched community engagements in galamsey-prone areas.
- The initiative aims to strengthen collaboration, build public confidence, address local concerns, and improve intelligence sharing.
- Engagements will involve traditional authorities, local government officials, and opinion leaders to tackle environmental and livelihood challenges.
- This strategy complements existing enforcement operations rather than replacing them, as part of a broader coordinated effort.
- The program aligns with the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources' strategy and President John Dramani Mahama's vision to intensify the fight against illegal mining.
October 29, 2026
‘We tend to be open-minded and liberal, but that’s not how we’ve lived so far’ – Kufuor
- Former President Kufuor advocates for a Ghana where individual enterprise thrives, supported by strong leadership and inclusive governance.
- He emphasizes leveraging Ghana's natural resources and human talent, cautioning against stifling initiative with excessive taxation.
- Kufuor envisions a state framework that empowers the private sector to mature, attract investment, and allow citizens to build legitimate wealth.
- His vision balances private enterprise with robust social protection, calling for quality education, healthcare, and a safety net against poverty.
- He highlights Ghana's potential through its mineral resources (gold, lithium, bauxite, manganese) and the character of its people to achieve shared prosperity.