The Chief Justice, Mrs Justice Georgina Wood, has advocated the introduction of local expertise in the Bui City Project and the emerging oil industry. In line with that, she said the necessary legislation should be passed to make it mandatory for any foreign consulting firm to be associated with a Ghanaian consultant. Justice Wood said this in a speech read on her behalf by a Justice of the Court of Appeal and acting Director of the Judicial Training Institute, Justice J.B. Akamba, at the induction of new executive members of the Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA). The Chief Justice said it was important for the government to recognize local consulting capacity in the construction industry and to publicly commit itself to making use of some, either completely or in collaboration with foreign consultants where necessary. In the districts, municipal, and metropolitan assemblies, she called for the mandatory participation of building professionals in the development process at all levels. That, she explained, would provide them with the needed opportunity to offer technical advice as might be needed to prevent man-made disasters such as collapse of buildings, avoidable flooding and building under high tension poles. While calling for the appropriate recognition to be given to the GIA and other professional bodies, she also urged the GIA to maintain and uphold the highest standard in their work. The new President of the institute, Mr Osei Kwasi Agyeman, reiterated the commitment of the leadership of GIA to partner governmental agencies to help in the development process of the country. He said members of GIA should not only be proud of belonging to a professional body, but must also be proud of the service they render to the nation. "We are not here to serve our individual interests only, but the interest of others and the nation as well," he added. The president assured the membership of the commitment of his team to employ a new course for the institute while playing an active role in the development of society. Mr Agyeman said the time had come for the members of the institute to get involved and pool resources to make the GIA not only a club that one had to belong to but also a club of professionals committed to the total development of the nation. A former president of the institute, Mr William Nii Teiko, said the work of architects could not be done in isolation, and urged members to be involved in the activities of the institute. Mr Teiko also challenged members to be voices of excellence wherever they found themselves in order to project the image of the profession in the country and beyond. He commended some individuals who had helped the institute while he was the president and expressed the hope that the relationship with individuals and sponsors would grow in the coming years. The night was also used to reward some individuals and institutions that had contributed to the success of the institute over the last two years. There were fraternal greetings from representatives of sister professional bodies and the Nigerian Institute of Architects. Source: Daily Graphic