Engineers serving in Ghana’s local government sector are demanding sweeping reforms to strengthen infrastructure delivery and protect communities from avoidable disasters.

At the 3rd Annual General Meeting of the Local Government Service Engineers Association (LoGSEA) in Koforidua over the weekend, delegates raised concerns over weak permitting systems, inadequate logistics, and limited recognition for engineers working within Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

LoGSEA President, Ben Debrah, argued that the lack of basic tools was undermining the work of engineers at the local level.

“Engineering units are the backbone of the Assemblies, yet most of us do not have the vehicles, training, or equipment we need. Meanwhile, consultants are hired at great cost to do jobs our own staff could handle,” he said.

He urged the Ministry of Local Government and the Office of the Head of Local Government Service to provide logistics particularly vehicles for Assemblies that were left out of previous government distributions under the District Road Improvement Programme.

According to Debrah, such investment would not only improve the efficiency of engineers but also enhance innovation and accountability in local infrastructure delivery.

The call was reinforced by Isaac Bedu, Registrar of the Engineering Council, who highlighted the link between poor regulatory enforcement and recent tragedies, including the collapse of a church roof in Teshie.

“Every permit you issue and every inspection you conduct directly affects public safety,” Bedu told participants. “Compliance with the Engineering Council Act, 2011 (Act 819), the Engineering Council Regulations, 2020 (LI 2410), and the Building Regulations, 2022 (LI 2465) must be non-negotiable.”

He reminded engineers that licensing is not merely a bureaucratic process but a guarantee of competence and accountability.

The conference also spotlighted LoGSEA’s increasing global visibility.

Debrah announced that the association had received an invitation to the Global Conference for Sustainable Built Environment in South Africa and is forging partnerships with the Africa Continental Engineering & Construction Network, Reaco International, and the Institute of Project Management Professionals (IPMP-Ghana).

Participants closed the meeting with a commitment to raise professional standards, promote teamwork, and share knowledge to improve infrastructure governance across the country.

GhanaWeb's latest documentary, Sex for Fish, that explores the plights of teenage girls in coastal communities, all in an attempt to survive, is out. Watch it below: