The National General Secretary of the Local Government Service Association of Physical Planners has said more resources and technology must be deployed to strengthen planning systems and address illegal developments contributing to flooding.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Super Morning Show on July 7, Mr Ansong said the country’s flooding situation requires urgent attention, adding that the challenges cannot be underestimated.

“We are dealing with a flood that currently is involved and can never be underestimated,” he said.

He explained that although permits may have been issued for some developments, the responsibility for ensuring compliance lies with the respective Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

“When you see development permits, you can see that the initials there are the initials of the MMDA. Not a particular department, not a particular unit. It is the name of the MMDA,” he said.

Mr Ansong, however, noted that many assemblies have struggled to prioritise their planning responsibilities, as attention has often shifted towards revenue generation.

“The problem that we are facing currently is that our minds have been fixated on the general revenue rather than the special planning functions for which we are generating this revenue to solve,” he said.

He pointed to Accra’s rapid urban expansion as a major challenge, warning that developments are increasingly taking place in both planned and unplanned areas.

“People are building in areas that are not suitable. Some are planned, some are unplanned,” he said.

According to him, some individuals are also selling lands in areas where they have no authority to do so, while others purchase such lands without following the required procedures.

He said the focus should be on supporting assemblies to effectively carry out their planning mandate rather than only criticising them.

Mr Ansong said this requires adequate funding for special planning committees and improved resources for assemblies.

He also called for greater investment in spatial intelligence and technology to reduce human interference in addressing planning challenges.

“If we reduce the human interface in solving some of these problems and invest more in technological interface, there are systems in place in other countries that are helping them, which we need to adapt,” he said.

He added that such systems are not necessarily expensive to implement but can significantly improve monitoring and enforcement.

Mr Ansong further called for training and capacity building for personnel in the physical planning and works departments, as well as members of the Spatial Planning Committee.

He stressed that planning decisions are not taken by one person, explaining that the process involves several institutions, with physical planners and district works engineers signing on behalf of the committee in the issuance of permits.

He said a proper understanding of the planning process is necessary before concluding the challenges surrounding illegal developments and flooding.