President of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, Ghana (IET-GH), Engr. Henry Kwadwo Boateng, has called for deliberate and coordinated planning to ensure the creation of inclusive, sustainable, and resilient communities across the country.
Delivering a keynote address at a gathering of built environment professionals on the theme “With Planning We Can: Building Inclusive, Sustainable, and Resilient Communities,” Engr. Boateng emphasized that development without planning leads to disorder, inequality, and vulnerability.
“Progress is never accidental. It results from deliberate, coordinated, and well-informed planning guided by foresight and grounded in sound engineering principles,” he stated.
He highlighted flooding as one of the most visible signs of weak urban planning in Ghana, noting that annual floods that submerge homes and destroy roads are “not natural disasters but failures of planning and engineering.”
Engr. Boateng called for proactive infrastructure planning, including comprehensive hydrological studies and properly designed drainage systems to manage future rainfall patterns and urban expansion.
“With proper hydrological studies, adequate drainage systems, and consistent maintenance, these occurrences can be minimized,” he added.
On environmental health, the IET President expressed concern over poor waste management practices that pollute water bodies and block drainage systems. He urged engineers to champion innovative waste-to-energy projects and called for stricter enforcement of environmental regulations.
“Our environment reflects our mindset,” he noted. “We must build sustainable communities that prioritize efficient waste management, from segregation to recycling and reuse.”
Touching on inclusiveness, Engr. Boateng stressed that accessibility must be a cornerstone of planning. He said poorly laid out or encroached roads isolate communities and impede equitable development.
“When roads are constructed without proper layout or are encroached upon, communities become isolated, unsafe, and inefficient,” he cautioned.
He also underscored the need to integrate green infrastructure, such as urban forests and tree-lined streets, into city design, describing them as vital for reducing heat, improving air quality, and maintaining ecological balance.
“A sustainable community must balance infrastructure with nature,” he said. “Environmental sustainability should not be an afterthought but a design principle.”
Engr. Boateng further emphasized that sustainable development depends not only on good plans but also on citizens and institutions that respect and uphold them. He called for stronger institutional oversight, law enforcement, and collaboration between engineers and local authorities to ensure safety and accountability.
Concluding his address, he described planning as both a technical and visionary process, essential to Ghana’s long-term development.
“With planning, we can build inclusive communities where no one is left behind; sustainable communities where growth does not destroy the environment; and resilient communities where people and infrastructure withstand change,” he affirmed.
He closed with a striking reflection:
“A nation that plans its cities well builds its future twice, first on paper, then in reality.”
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