The Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC) has pledged to support Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) that adopt energy-efficient practices in development, as part of efforts to integrate energy efficiency into Ghana’s building permit system.
Hon. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo (MP), The Greater Accra Regional Minister gave the assurance in a welcome address read on her behalf by the Chief Director at a Training and Consultation Workshop held at the Council on Wednesday, 13 July 2026.
The workshop, organised by the Energy Commission, brought together heads of departments and agencies, works engineers, physical planners and other officials to discuss integrating energy efficiency into building permit administration.
The Minister said Greater Accra, as the national capital and centre of commerce, industry and governance, accounted for a significant proportion of the country’s energy demand, with the concentration of residential, commercial and public infrastructure raising consumption each year. She said this called for deliberate measures to make the region’s development both energy-efficient and sustainable.
She described the Energy Commission’s move to mainstream energy efficiency into building permit administration as a practical step towards making energy efficiency an integral part of planning, design and construction rather than an option.
The Minister urged physical planners, engineers, architects, building inspectors and other built-environment professionals to incorporate energy-saving principles into public infrastructure. She said facilities such as schools, hospitals, markets and office complexes should adopt designs and technologies that reduce energy consumption while improving comfort and lowering long-term operational costs. “Our planning decisions today will determine the sustainability of our cities tomorrow,” she said.
The Council said it would work with the Assemblies through collaboration, capacity building and effective enforcement to transform how development was undertaken across the region. The Minister encouraged participants to share practical experiences and offer recommendations towards an implementation framework that was practical, enforceable and responsive to local realities.
She commended the Energy Commission for spearheading the initiative and partnering the Regional Coordinating Councils to build the capacity of the Assemblies.