The creation of a single “Planning Department” through the merger of the Development Planning Unit and the Physical Planning Department at the local government level would risk Ghana’s quest to achieve livable cities,” the Local Government Service Association of Physical Planners (LoGSAPP) has stated.
The Inter-Ministerial Coordinating Committee on Decentralisation (IMCCoD) has initiated a National Decentralisation Policy and Strategy to be implemented between 2026 and 2029, and the integration of the Development Planning Unit and the Physical Planning Department is one of the key proposals in the draft policy.
A release signed by LOGSAPP said although the policy has not yet been officially outdoored, its proposals raise critical concerns that require broader stakeholder consultations.
It noted that effective participation is a fundamental principle of decentralisation, and reforms of this nature must be informed by professional expertise and practical realities on the ground.
LoGSAPP therefore wishes to clearly state its position on the proposed merger of the Development Planning Unit and the Physical Planning Department, that, while the draft policy appears to address issues such as disjointed plans, weak coordination, and the absence of spatial components in development plans, these are not the root causes of Ghana’s urban planning challenges.
“Merging the two planning functions will not resolve these systemic problems and will, in fact, undermine effective land-use planning and city management. Urban management failures and poor land-use outcomes in Ghana are not caused by the separation of planning functions, rather, they stem from sustained neglect of spatial planning, inadequate resourcing, weak enforcement of planning laws, and the marginalisation of trained physical planning professionals”, the release stated.
It said development planning at the local government level plays a coordinating role across all sectors of the Assembly, adding that existing institutional arrangements such as the Municipal Planning and Coordinating Units (MPCUs) and Spatial Planning Committees already provide mechanisms for coordination.
Therefore, the challenge is not institutional fragmentation but weak implementation and limited capacity.
The release further stated that globally, effective planning systems are spatially led. International best practices recognize land-use planning, urban design, and development control as the foundation upon which social and economic development policies are implemented, adding that: “No country allows non-planners to dominate the planning profession, as is increasingly occurring in Ghana.”
According to LOGSAPP, planning in Ghana has become overly skewed toward socio-economic considerations, resulting in development plans that lack spatial clarity and are difficult or impossible to enforce.
The association noted that development planning and physical planning are complementary but distinct disciplines saying: “Development planning provides policy direction, while physical planning translates policy into spatial form. Merging the two without addressing existing capacity gaps will dilute spatial expertise and weaken development control.”
The release said approximately 70 percent of staff within Development Planning Units currently do not have formal planning backgrounds.
This imbalance, the association observed, has compromised the effectiveness of the planning system. Meanwhile, spatial planning departments continue to suffer from inadequate staffing, weak logistics, limited funding, and insufficient institutional support.
It further emphasized that proceeding with a merger under these conditions will further marginalise spatial planning, weaken professional standards, and worsen the state of Ghana’s cities.
In the association’s considered view, the proposal risks increasing disorderly development, flooding, congestion, environmental degradation, and public safety threats.
“There is no country where separate planning authorities exist at the national level but are collapsed into a single department at the local level. Likewise, no country has successfully merged development planning and physical planning because their skill sets are fundamentally different and not interchangeable”, it said.
According to the release, LoGSAPP strongly believes that the solution lies in strengthening, not weakening, the planning profession through a framework based on Recruitment; thus, employing qualified spatial planners into the Local Government Service and providing the planning departments resources comprises of adequate tools, modern technology, quality data, logistics, and sustainable funding.
LoGSAPP further said rebranding the planning department by restoring public confidence, authority, and respect for the planning profession, and also rigorously enforce planning laws, regulations, and professional ethical standards with capacity building for planners and educate stakeholders on planning issues.
“Until spatial planning is restored as the backbone of Ghana’s planning system, no institutional merger will resolve the persistent urban challenges confronting the nation”
LoGSAPP therefore called on government and policymakers to suspend reforms that weaken spatial planning and instead commit to measures that professionalize, empower, and protect the discipline in the interest of sustainable development and livable cities.
To support constructive reform, LoGSAPP has submitted a detailed position paper to the IMCCoD. We urge the Committee to expand consultations and ensure meaningful stakeholder participation in the design and implementation of the National Decentralisation Policy and Strategy.
