Ghana requires over 1,000 additional physical planners for effective development planning – Prof Mensah

Professor Lord Mensah, the head of the Local Government Service, has highlighted a critical issue affecting Ghana's development planning efforts: a severe shortage of physical planners. He revealed that the country needs approximately 1,200 such professionals to ensure effective national development planning. During a recent conference in Kumasi, Professor Mensah stressed that inadequate staffing is a major challenge for the Physical Planning Departments of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

The expert emphasized that some areas, particularly in the Savannah Region, lack even a single physical planner. This shortage makes it nearly impossible for a single planner to manage the planning needs of about 270 communities within an assembly, he noted. Prof Mensah further pointed out that the current staffing levels are insufficient and that the department is awaiting financial clearance for recruitment.

The theme of the conference, which brought together government officials, state institutions, real estate developers, MMDAs, students, and land management actors, was "Strengthening spatial planning for disaster risk prevention, reduction, climate change resilience, and sustainable infrastructure delivery in Ghana."