The Architects Registration Council of Ghana Inducts 55 Newly Licensed Architects

Minister Asenso-Boakye opened his speech with a special nod to the newly licensed women architects among the inductees, noting a significant increase in number from 2022 and recounting that his daughter is in the process of applying to study architecture. 

Of the 55 qualifying architects inducted during the ceremony, 17 of them were women, forming 30% of the total number of inductees. Over the past 5 years, 250 probationers have become licensed with 68 of them being women, 27% of the total number.  This increase is worth celebrating considering the fact that in 2021 Ghana recorded 216 licensed women architects out of the 1,440 registered architects, making up only 15% of the total number of licensed architects in the country. 

Although these numbers are low, in the past two decades, there has been a significant increase in the number of female students entering Architecture programs at both the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and Central University (CU), currently the only two tertiary institutions offering Architecture in Ghana. In the recently held 57th Congregation of KNUST’s College of Art and Built Environment, 68 students graduated from the Master of Architecture degree program with 35% of them being women.

Minister Asenso-Boakye stressed that built environment professionals have an important role to play in a rapidly urbanizing country like Ghana where a dire need for infrastructure and housing exists, noting that poor development control systems have given room to the proliferation of illegal structures and developments across the country. It was, therefore, in the interest of the country to have more qualified and registered built environment professionals working concertedly with government and private entities to ensure quality and accessible infrastructure for all. He highlighted the relevance of women architects at the table to ensure holistic design of spaces.

Asenso-Boakye asserted, “The built environment is a reflection of societies or a society’s values and aspirations. It shapes the way we live, work, and interact with our surroundings. It is a testament to our commitment to the wellbeing of our citizens and future generations. Therefore, maintaining the highest moral and ethical standards in the built environment is not just a choice. In fact it is an obligation.” 

Buttressing this, he emphasized the role of Municipal and Metropolitan Assemblies (MMDAs) in enforcing development controls and suggested outsourcing the issuance of building permits to professional bodies such as the Architects Registration Council and the Ghana Institute of Architects, to enhance efficiency. He also highlighted the Ministry's efforts in reviewing building regulations to address the rapidly changing built environment. He then called for collaboration among built environment professionals to provide training and development opportunities for MMDA personnel, empowering them to enforce regulations effectively.

Architect Dr. Emmanuel Eyiah-Botwe, the Registrar of the ARC, on his part congratulated the new architects and provided insights into the Council's five-fold mandate. He discussed ongoing initiatives, as well as challenges faced by the profession, and the Council's commitment to maintaining high standards. 

According to the ARC Registrar’s report, there are 1270 and 239 registered Architects and Architectural firms respectively in Ghana with only 650 registered architects and 105 architectural firms in good standing and qualified to practice in 2023. Evidently a major concern from these statistics is the insufficiency of registered firms and practicing architects to mentor licensure candidates, an issue that is becoming even more critical with the growing number of graduates from architecture schools across the country and beyond. 

‍The path to licensure is undoubtedly a torturous one, sentiments shared by the Class of 2023 valedictorian, Gabriel Yaw Osei and class representative, Ernest Etoenyo Kudjo Klu in their speeches. Like the architecture educational program, it also demands grit, hard work, and dedication, and following graduation, takes a minimum of two years to complete the architectural experience component alone under the supervision of a registered architectural firm and/or a registered architect with a minimum of five years post-licensure experience, prior to writing the licensure examination. Together, It takes a minimum of 8 years to complete the architectural education and licensure process. 

“It has been a really long journey," said Miss Jennifer Sena Dagadu, the second overall best candidate. 

The licensure exam is a challenging one and sometimes takes candidates multiple tries to pass. In Ghana, it is offered only once a year. Ultimately, if GIA is able to administer the exams at least twice or thrice a year, it would increase the accessibility for candidates and reduce the wait time in between exams, a move that could potentially aid in the increase of licensed architects in the country. 

Firms play a vital role in the grooming of the next generation of architects. This has led some concerned architects to call on the ARC and GIA in the past to review the requirements for the registration of architectural firms to enable more firms, particularly those currently operating outside the ambit of both institutions, to join. The roles of such firms in good standing go beyond this duty to also ensure quality and safety of buildings and construction along with educating the general public on the importance of hiring qualified design professionals for projects.

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The practice of architecture requires a broad knowledge of other professions to design spaces that are functional for their programmatic requirements, are safe, aesthetically appealing and make accommodations for future growth and development. The work involves collaborations with allied professionals such as structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing engineers, landscape architects, and depending on the complexity of a project, the list of consultants can grow to include specialty consultants. Architectural practice demands keen observation, the ability to listen (to clients) and an understanding of cultures, psychology, materials, science and more, because essentially, an architect is crafting spaces that engage all the senses, emotions and cultural makeup of the end users.

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