The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs says it will embark on a nationwide inspection of all Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to assess how effectively local authorities are enforcing development regulations, particularly compliance with building permit requirements.

The move forms part of the government's renewed push to strengthen local governance, promote orderly physical development, and address recurring challenges such as flooding linked to poor planning and illegal construction.

The directive, which is expected to begin on Tuesday, June 9, was announced at a stakeholder dialogue on landfill operations and sustainable solid waste management in Accra, where officials raised concerns about weak enforcement of planning laws and indiscriminate development in waterways and drainage paths.

Speaking at the event on Monday, June 7, the Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, said the inspection exercise will focus on the performance of MMDCEs in ensuring that residents and developers comply with building regulations.

She stressed that assemblies have the legal mandate to approve or halt developments but noted that enforcement has often been weak, leading to avoidable consequences such as flooding and the need for costly demolitions.

According to her, many building developments proceed without proper permits, sometimes even after stop-work notices have been issued, only for the government to later spend scarce resources on demolition exercises.

“If an authority has not given you a permit, the authority has the right to stop that building from going on. You will see stop-work orders, yet people continue building and complete projects,” she noted.

She emphasised the need for proactive enforcement by local authorities to prevent illegal developments from escalating into environmental and infrastructural crises.

“When issues are raised, we need to be proactive so that this crisis does not occur. We are going into the MMDAs to find out what actions they are taking to ensure compliance with the rules.

“We have the bylaws. Are we working with them, or are they just sitting on shelves? We should let the people feel that we are the authorities with the mandate to issue or refuse permits,” she added.

She also cautioned against continued construction on waterways, stressing that such practices worsen flooding and undermine efforts to build resilient communities.

The ministry says the nationwide inspection will help identify gaps in enforcement and strengthen accountability among MMDCEs, as government intensifies efforts to ensure orderly development and reduce the impact of flooding across the country.