The Architects Registration Council (ARC) has sworn in 60 new Architects onto the standing Register of the Council after they passed the Council’s Professional Practice Examination (PPE).

The 18th induction ceremony held last Wednesday in Accra at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences is an important national assignment of ARC.

The induction ceremony bridges the academic and professional life of every architect and climaxes six years of academic qualification at the university, a minimum of two years of post-qualification coaching and apprenticeship under a qualified senior architect, structured seminars and tutorials and finally professional examination, with a minimum pass mark of 60% to gain state licensing.

Ms. Cyndelle Araba Kwabi was adjudged the Overall Best Candidate with Dexter Tsatsu Dziekpor and Emefa Ahiable occupying the second and third positions respectively.

Registrar of the ARC, Arc. Mrs. Stella N.D. Arthiabah who swore in the new Architects expressed satisfaction about the Council’s mandate of regulating the architecture profession over the years.

She was confident that sustaining the rigorous training for the inductees is the hope for a fulfilling professional life achieved through the delivery of professional architectural services.

Mrs. Arthiabah called on Government and the private sector to engage local professionals in building and infrastructural matters as well as in industry-related policy development and implementation programs. She said the industry keeps getting complex with technological innovations and would, therefore, require expert knowledge to address them.

She seized the occasion to re-introduce unto the industry the over 900 registered Architects aside the 60 new ones ready to be engaged by both the government and private sector in development projects.

"Our Architects possess the skills to maximize the e efficiency of use of space and enhance work output. Architects are ready with innovative and cost-effective solutions for the District Factories, Zongo Development Programs and other Government projects," she added.

Mrs. Arthiabah announced the introduction of an interactive seminar for principal architects of newly registered firms at which discussions on Partnerships, Management, Best Practice and Ethics and Public Relations are discussed, all in a bid to build the capacity of architects and to promote architecture as a business.

She also announced the soon to be opened 2 new regional offices-the Ashanti Regional Office in Kumasi which will oversee the northern sector and the Greater Accra Regional Office which will handle the southern sector for a much-enhanced output by the Council.

In a solidarity message, President of the Ghana Institute of Architects (GIA), Arc. Richard Nii Dadey urged architects to constantly upgrade themselves to keep abreast with both socio-economic changes and technological developments.

He observed that as the nation transit from a lower middle-income to high-income within the next forty years architects must also focus on building themselves towards Eco friendly Architecture-sustaining architecture that will maximize the use of renewable sources of energy; global warming and climate change; use of local materials and entrepreneurship by creating their own projects.

The Deputy Minister of Works and Housing (MWH), Hon. Eugene Boakye Antwi who represented the Sector Minister, Hon. Samuel Atta Akyea as Special Guest underscored the importance of the ceremony admitting that the construction industry contributes about 15% to the GDP, playing a significant role in national development as such the MWH recognizes the benefits of having a well-organized, effective construction sector that offers value for money with Architects and other built environment professionals playing a key role in this.

He disclosed that a National Building Code has been gazetted and its implementation will serve as a check on the indiscipline by some developers and inadequate control from planning authorities and other agencies.

Guest Speaker was Hon. Yaw Osafo-Maafo, Senior Minister, who in his address made a passionate appeal to the industry to focus on the use of local building materials, explaining that Government’s quest for a ‘Ghana beyond aid’ can only be achieved through the maximum utilization of the natural resources available in the country. He further urged architects to be proactive in offering the needed assistance to the government in order to achieve sustainable cities and communities.

In his closing remarks, Chairman for the occasion, Arc. Osei Kwame Agyeman, the Principal Architect of Casa Associati, urged Architects to help humanity by making an impact on the inner city for society to value the Profession of Architecture.